Another Mexico rally draws 1 million, but some followers tiring (coerced attendance)

Dallas Morning News, via Grand Forks Herald ^ | 7/30/06 | Laurence Iliff and Alfredo Corchado

[Diddle E. Squat]

MEXICO CITY - A month after losing Mexico's closest presidential race in history, leftist leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador rallied with hundreds of thousands of supporters Sunday and said he would live among 47 makeshift campsites to pressure for a vote recount...

...Organizers of the Sunday rally said they had met their goal of 2.5 million protesters, but some capital police put the number at half that. Many demonstrators flooded subway stations on their way out of downtown even before Lopez Obrador spoke...

...Cab driver Juan Carlos Granados, 31, said he has been bringing supporters in from the nearby state of Hidalgo. "Some seem like they genuinely want to be here; others clearly are forced to attend," he said.

Granados himself donated his time and money because he said that otherwise, he could lose his taxi license from the PRD city government. "I have no choice, but I'm not sure I can do this for too long," he said...

...Hortensia Macias, 42, a PRD supporter from the neighboring state of Mexico, said that sooner or later, the dispute was bound to get violent. "As time goes by, frustration grows," she said, as she sat on a downtown street smoking a cigarette. "I like that it's peaceful so far, but I'm ready for a fight. I'm ready to see some blood."

[StJacques]

CedarDave and BunnySlippers, thank you for the pings. Sorry if I'm a little late, but I've been busy.

Briefly, the 1 million in attendance figure is high. The El Universal web site says that 920,000 were in attendance according to the official statement of the Federal District authorities, but they always overstate things to favor AMLO. I would guess we're talking about something in the neighborhood of 750,000 - 800,000. And the fatigue factor mentioned in the above article is present in the El Universal reporting also.

The big development out of today's demonstration is that AMLO is shifting tactics. He's going to erect 47 permanent encampments of his supporters around Mexico City for the purposes of "watching" the handling of the vote. It's pure intimidation and I'm trying to get more on this. Tomorrow I'm going to post a translation of an El Universal article I just found, unless I see a better summary up on their web site or elsewhere before I get around to translating.

Look to hear from me tomorrow.

[BunnySlippers]

I can't wait. Hehe ...

[Enterprise]

Thank you. Will be looking forward to it.

[StJacques]

Guys, check this cartoon out. Lopez Obrador is wrapped up in a strait jacket, falling from the sky, and shouting "I am the President of Mexicoooooooo . . ."

[hosepipe]

In Mexico its Mob Rule.. Has always been Mob Rule..
The Mob in charge matters little.. Mexico has no citizens only mobs..

Every democracy is that way.. Democracy "is" Mob Rule..

[jmaroneps37]

Algore Manuel Lopez Obrador. Monkey see monkey do.

[texastoo]

You nailed it. This is none other than Mexican culture. This mob rule has been going on for years and years and only spilled into the US due to "free trade". We saw that this spring when the Mexican farmers were interviewed on TV in California. They were just following the orders of V. Fox.

[bwteim]

That it would;)

[Just A Nobody]

Every democracy is that way.. Democracy "is" Mob Rule..

The "starving" loonies, code-pink et al, stand in front of the White House loudly chanting, "this is what democracy looks like!"

[Shuttle Shucker]

AMLO's aspiring tax-leeching followers are now blocking major roadways in Mexico City, and the electoral court hasn't even ruled against him yet. Here's an analysis (in Spanish) of the (pathetically minimalist) legal protections that the government has at its disposal against such blackmailing traffic blocking (assuming the Left Wing govt. of Mexico City would even bother to enforce them rather than sit back and hope AMLO becomes president so that the heavily unionized Lefties can have more job security):

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/365815.html

[The Old Hoosier]

If Mexico City wants to commit economic suicide, I guess they can always do that. It won't help the people who voted for AMLO.

[Shuttle Shucker]

Mexico City's government officials don't seem to care too much about more than mere self-enrichment. Same as we have with Philadelphia (Mayor Street) and Washington D.C. (Mayor Barry). Destroying Mexico City's economy would perversely generate support for statist programs' creation & perpetuation, and those programs potentially enrich (or at least empower) the Left. It's a real mess in the making...