Mexico Meltdown Reaches Legislature
09/02/2006
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In Mexico City on Friday, PRD politicians in the legislature raised such a ruckus with whistles and shouting that el Presidente Vicente Fox could not give his farewell State of the Nation address, the first ever executive to be so shut out.

The insult was part of the rancorous national split over the July 2 Presidential vote which was very close, less than one percent; the loser, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez-Obrador, has refused to accept defeat even after a recent court ruling upholding the election (the final ruling will be given on Sept. 6). The streets of Mexico City have been filled with supporters of Lopez-Obrador, who threatens to set up a shadow government.

The incident deepened an ongoing political crisis in Mexico, where the dispute over the election to replace Fox has brought huge protests and chaos to Mexico City's downtown. More than any event in the past two months, the congressional takeover seemed to signal that Lopez Obrador could create an effective opposition that would make life miserable for Felipe Calderon, the candidate from Fox's party who has apparently won the presidency by a narrow margin.

The night's strange events were also sure to add to the checkered legacy of Fox, who improved the transparency of government but failed to achieve the economic gains that he had hoped for after ending seven decades of one-party rule in Mexico with his victory in 2000. [Mexican lawmakers block Fox's address, Washington Post 9/1/06]

Interestingly, el Presidente Fox responded by declaring, "Whoever attacks our laws and institutions also attacks our history and Mexico."

Mexico is a nation of laws? Who knew? It looks more like a nation of anarchy, and it's coming this way.

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