A Mexican Standoff?

Even by our rough and tumble British Columbia political standards, things are getting a little wild down past the Rio Grande these days.

It was opposition day in Mexico City on Friday, as the opposition party protested what they say has been an unfair election process. Taking to the stage at the nations Congress and calling the President a traitor they continued their calls for a full recount of the July 2nd Presidential race.

Mexican President Vincente Fox chose at that point to not deliver his State of the Country address to Congress, opting instead to go straight to the people with a televised address later in the evening.

The political temperature has been steadily rising in Mexico since the election of Felipe Calderon, leftist opponent Lopez Obrador has made frequent calls for a recount of the vote, which many suggest consisted of a number of irregularities.

The Mexican electoral court will announce its decision in six days, whether to name Calderon the winner or call for a recount.

Obrador supporters say that if Calderon attempts to govern they will place his administration under siege. Obrador for his part says that he will refuse to recognize Calderon’s election and will run a parallel government and rule from the streets.

And those streets are rather tense these days, Friday saw portions of Mexico City locked down in a near Police State operation, with block upon block of barricades, dogs in cages and police in riot gear.

Many suggest that the next few months may be the most important ones of recent Mexican history with the nation split almost down the middle. The rhetoric from many of the people in Mexico is certainly worrisome; many stating that they are prepared to battle to the death to ensure their candidate is named President in the end. A situation that is no doubt making the nation’s immediate neighbour to the north even more nervous than it already is.

At any rate, judging by the tensions of the country these days, one wonders what the tourism industry will be like with two governments fighting it out for power, split evenly by the population backing them. Canadians normally find the Mexican beaches to their liking in those cold winter months, it’s going to be a hard sell if the people are rioting in the streets and the whiff of civil disruption is wild in the wind.

For Fox who broke the spell of one party rule in Mexico, the last weeks of his Presidency are not going to be the thing of gentle reflection; instead political crisis and possible anarchy, that may be the final notes made as Fox saddles up and rides off into his political sunset.