MEXICO CITY, Mexico: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Sunday simply gained a divisive referendum he promoted on whether or not he must step down or whole his term-a vote marked by way of low turnout. With an approval score of just about 60 %, Lopez Obrador’s presidency had by no means seemed significantly in peril, and the left-wing populist was once himself probably the most vote’s greatest cheerleaders.

The 68-year-old president, elected in 2018 for a six-year time period, gained quite greater than 90 % of votes in choose of his staying in place of business till 2024, in line with an reputable preliminary rely. However the turnout fee was once estimated to be not more than round 18 %, neatly under the 40-percent degree wanted for the ballot to be legally binding.

That implies that even though Lopez Obrador had misplaced, he do not have been obliged to step down. Lopez Obrador dominated out the use of the end result to pursue a constitutional reform permitting him to hunt some other time period, as some critics have accused him of planning on doing.

“I’m going to proceed serving till the final day of my time period. I’m now not going to move previous that as a result of I’m a democrat and I’m now not in choose of re-election,” he stated in a video message. Supporters of the referendum-the first of its sort in Mexico-said it was once some way of accelerating democratic duty, giving electorate the chance to take away the president because of lack of self assurance.

“Now now we have the danger to switch what’s now not proper. There were presidents who, after being elected by way of the folk, ended up serving different pursuits,” Benigno Gasca, a 57-year-old mathematician and musician, informed AFP.

‘Pointless activity’

However critics noticed the referendum as pricey propaganda and an pointless distraction from the numerous demanding situations dealing with the rustic, together with drug-related violence, poverty and the emerging value of residing. “It’s a pointless exercise-money thrown away,” stated Laura Gonzalez, a 62-year-old retired instructor.

Mario Delgado, chief of the ruling celebration Morena, stated electorate had identified Lopez Obrador’s “willpower to probably the most needy and the large ethical authority with which he governs. “Best an indomitable, unwavering democrat like him can topic himself to a recall procedure,” he added.

However Marko Cortes, of the conservative opposition celebration PAN, stated the vote was once marked “by way of illegality, lies, manipulation and the diversion of public sources.” Alejandro Moreno of the PRI, which dominated Mexico for seven many years till 2000, tweeted that Morena had grew to become the referendum right into a “mockery” to “fulfill its personal ego and proceed deceiving Mexicans.”

‘Political muscle’

Some 93 million electorate had been eligible to take part within the midterm referendum, which was once integrated into Mexico’s charter in 2019 at Lopez Obrador’s initiative. Many of the signatures that had been gathered to ensure that the vote to occur got here from his supporters. Professionals had predicted {that a} win may just give impetus to Lopez Obrador’s coverage time table, reminiscent of arguable power reforms. The president additionally has his eye at the 2024 elections and the possibilities for his celebration and imaginable successors, together with Mexico Town Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum.

“All of us knew that the president was once now not going to be got rid of and his fighters weren’t going to vote,” stated political analyst Hernan Gomez Bruera. Regardless of the prime abstention fee, the referendum confirmed that Lopez Obrador and his fans have “political muscle” to mobilize enhance, he informed AFP.

“The actual litmus take a look at might be in 2024 when he leaves, as a result of no person turns out in a position to taking his management position,” Bruera added. Lopez Obrador loved an approval score of 58 % in March, even if that was once a ways under a top of 81 % noticed in February 2019, in line with a ballot of polls by way of the Oraculus company.

Carmen Sobrino, a 64-year-old housewife, stated she heeded the decision to vote as a result of she was once proud of Lopez Obrador. “I am hoping he continues,” she stated after casting her poll within the capital. The president accused the Nationwide Electoral Institute sooner than the vote of sabotaging the activity in collusion along with his political fighters by way of failing to do sufficient to put it on the market. – AFP