MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s old rulers claimed victory in a presidential election, ending 12 years in opposition after a campaign dominated by a sputtering economy and rampant drug violence. After pledging to restore order and ramp up economic growth, Enrique Pena Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) had a clear lead over his rivals in exit polls and a ‘‘quick count’’ conducted by electoral authorities on Saturday.
Although his main rival said it was too early to concede defeat, the 45-year-old Pena Nieto delivered a late-night victory speech to cheering supporters, and a senior electoral official said the PRI candidate’s lead was ‘‘irreversible’’. ‘‘Mexicans have given our party another chance. We are going to honor it with results,’’ a visibly moved Pena Nieto told followers packed inside the PRI headquarters in Mexico City. Jubilant supporters waved banners sporting caricatures of their candidate and his trademark quiff, and confetti in the red, green and white of the Mexican flag – and the PRI’s colors – rained down inside the hall.
Outgoing President Felipe Calderon congratulated Pena Nieto on his triumph, which completed a dramatic comeback for the PRI. Having run Mexico as a virtual one-party state for most of the 20th century, it was ousted in an election 12 years ago and was seen by many as being on its death bed when it finished way back in third place in the 2006 presidential vote.
Renowned as much for his unfailingly well-groomed appearance as his political skills, the handsome Pena Nieto gave a fresh face to the PRI, helping to instill a new sense of discipline and make the party electable again.
He hopes to use economic reform as a springboard to ignite growth, create jobs and draw the heat out of a drug war that has killed over 55,000 people since late 2006.
He has pledged to boost economic growth to about 6 percent a year and make bold economic changes, including reforms to allow more private investment in Mexico’s state-run oil industry.
The quick count showed Pena Nieto with around 38 percent of the vote with l eftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in second place with le ss than 32 pe rcent.
He has said in recent weeks that this election campaign was also plagued with irregularities, raising concerns that he might again call his supporters onto the streets.
Pena Nieto has vowed to stamp out the undemocratic excesses, misuse of public funds and shady acts of political patronage that tarnished the PRI’s decades in power. He will take over at a time when Mexico’s finances are in good order and the economy is beginning to improve, although it still cannot generate enough work for the growing population.
Wary of becoming bogged down in the same battle that exhausted Calderon, Pena Nieto has shied away from targeting the drug cartels, pledging instead to focus on reducing crime. ‘‘The fight against crime will continue, yes, with a new strategy to reduce violence and above all protect the lives of all Mexicans,’’ Pena Nieto said on Sunday night. However, he dismissed accusations by opponents that the PRI might try to make agreements with drug cartels. ‘‘Let it be very clear: There will be no deal, no truce with organized crime.’’ (Reuters)