MEXICO-ELECTION/POLLS CLOSE Voting ends in Mexico's mid-term elections marred by violence

Record ID: 150521

  • Title: MEXICO-ELECTION/POLLS CLOSE Voting ends in Mexico's mid-term elections marred by violence
  • Date: 8th June 2015
  • Summary: CHILPANCINGO, GUERRERO, MEXICO (JUNE 7, 2015)(REUTERS) ELECTORAL OFFICIALS COUNTING VOTES
  • Embargoed: 23rd June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5VQX5ZTDI2MFNRR4F26EMMMYN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's party is expected to retain its slim working majority in the lower house of Congress in mid-term elections on Sunday (June 7) despite discontent about corruption, gang violence and lackluster economic growth.
    Mexicans cast ballots for nine state governorships and more than 1,000 state and municipal posts. Polls closed at 2300 GMT.
    National Electoral Institute official Lorenzo Cordova declared the election a success.
    "The federal election day has ended in the entire country. The main piece of information today is that citizens voted to influence the future of our nation. Considering the challenges that this election day was facing, the outcome is undoubtedly positive for our society and for the National Electoral Institute. I should mention that during the day there were incidents in some areas of the country, they were attended to and properly registered in accordance with what the norms have established," he said.
    At least seven candidates and nine campaign officials were murdered in campaigning soured by drug cartel intimidation and dissident teachers protesting against education reforms.
    Heavily armed convoys patrolled as 40,000 police and troops fanned out across southern Mexico to safeguard the vote.
    Activists stole or set fire to dozens of ballot boxes in the restive states of Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas early on Sunday, but the vote was otherwise largely peaceful, officials said.
    Pena Nieto appeared on national television to congratulate voters for participating, despite the ongoing violence.
    "By voting on this day, the citizens have expressed our political will for the path of institutions. We've given direction to our plurality through our democratic system. There were those who tried to affect these elections. In the last few days, they even participated in violent acts, looking to dishearten the population. However, despite them, this Sunday, millions of Mexicans went to vote, convinced that democracy is the best path for Mexico. The mandate that citizens have given all of the authorities is to reject violence and intolerance," he said.
    After pushing through a raft of economic reforms early in his presidency, Pena Nieto has been battered by allegations of corruption and for failing to bring drug violence under control. He was buffeted by criticism over the apparent massacre of 43 students in September by a drug gang working with local police. Then he faced accusations of corruption following revelations that he, his wife and his finance minister had bought houses from government contractors.
    There were 1,374 murders across Mexico in April, the highest monthly total in nearly a year, police data show.
    While Pena Nieto's approval rating has plummeted, polls suggest his centrist PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) may keep the thin majority it musters with its allies in the lower house, partly due to weakness and splits in the opposition.
    The PRI, with its partners the Green Party and the smaller New Alliance party (PANAL) won 251 of 500 lower house seats in the 2012 elections with around 42 percent of the total vote.
    Polls suggest they will be close to that total again.
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