Mexico election: AMLO threatens Calderón's family

This seemingly major development in the Mexico presidential election is getting little press here. The newspaper article does not directly quote AMLO's statement. After quoting AMLO's admission that no cyber fraud took place, here is what the report says:

Por otro lado, el tabasqueño aclaró la intención con la que le advirtió a su contrincante del PAN, Felipe Calderón, que debía pensar en las consecuencias que todo este conflicto postelectoral pueden tener para su familia.

Translation: On the other hand, The Tabasco native declared his intention to advise his PAN opponent, Felipe Calderón, that he should think about what the consequences of all this post-electoral conflict could have on his (Calderón's) family.

It appears from this report that AMLO realized instantly that he had misstepped:

López Obrador reiterated his call to the PANista that he accept a full recount of the votes and "untie" himself from the pressures of those surrounding him who are only looking for "power for the sake of power."

"Why do I speak of family? Because that is the closest thing to a person and there is no doubt that there are people or circles close to each candidate who have their own motivations and those motivations are power for the sake of power and nothing more. But in the end, those who are going to resent this situation the most are those with the most immediate interests, the candidate and his family.

In no way do I say this with the purpose of threatening (Calderón's family) or anything of the kind. On the contrary, I say to you (Calderón) 'Don't be fenced in by the ambitious, by the special interests, disassociate yourself from them, you can do it; if a recount is done.'"

I don't know about you, but if an American politician made such a statement, the screaming in the U.S. would make the Banshee's shrieks sound like The Sound of Music.

It is important to note that the calls for a recount by AMLO as well as Calderóns resistence or possible future acquiescence are meaningless. Mexican law and a group of 7 election magistrates operating under that law will decide the issue of a recount or no. That is why AMLO has taken to the streets and exhorted his followers to engage in "peaceful" civil disobedience. It is a naked attempt to pressure the magistrates into ordering a full recount. Logically, Calderón, as the apparent winner of the election, opposes such a recount.

He would be a fool to put himself in the same position as Christine Gregoire's opponent in Washington. He found himself the victim of recount after recount, all of which he won except for the final one after enough votes had been "discovered" to make Gregoire the winner. Dino Rossi and his staff were simply unable to scrape up enough live voters to overcome all of the dead voters and imprisoned felons who voted for Gregoire.

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TAGS: Mexico election