Does it even matter? Hispanic network Univision announces Mexican president Felipe Calderon has endorsed Republican candidate John McCain. This should not come as any surprise. Calderon's party, the PAN (National Action Party- conservative) has for long held close relations with the Republican party.
According to the AP article, Calderon believes that McCain "knows the Mexican reality better" even though he acknowledges that Obama is being supported by many Mexican-Americans. Calderon said Obama's plans regarding NAFTA could entail a "return to protectionism" which would be damaging to the bilateral relationship. He added that McCain has supported "the most advanced immigration proposal."
Calderon's public endorsement is logical. He does not want NAFTA to be unilateraly renegotiated and demanding a humane and fair treatment of Mexican immigrants abroad is part of the mandate of any Mexican president. But does it matter whom he endorses? Will his declarations have any impact on the electoral preferences of Mexican-Americans?
The answer is... hardly. Most immigrants crossed the border to escape from a vicious circle of poverty and exclusion. Some risked their lives in the process. Many have encountered racism and denigrating treatment in their search for better opportunities. Not one of them is under any obligation to heed Calderon's opinion on how to cast their vote.
Calderon might have some influence if his own record as Mexican president was different. A reform minded Mexican Executive, willing and able to address effectively Mexico's problems of inequality, corruption and violence could expect the sympathies of those who were forced to flee from the status-quo. Such a president Calderon is not and his opinions regarding the candidates are not only uncalled for but also irrelevant.
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4 comments:
Is it common for Mexican presidents to endorse foreign presidential candidates? Is the left endorsing Obama?
I don't think it is common.My conclusion is that Calderon wanted to be perceived as a regional leader and thus made this completely out of context announcement. I expect he wanted to congratiate himself with the Bush administration.
The progressive media here in Mexico is endorsing Obama and positive editorials are being published about him.
BTW during the Mexican elections some newspapers in the US endorsed one of the candidates. I specifically recall the Dallas Morning News first endorsing Calderon and then asking for Lopez Obrador to end his questioning of the results. The New York Times and the Washington Post both quickly asked of Lopez Obrador to recognise Calderon in their editorials.
I meant ingratiate...
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