Dozens of candidates have been killed leading up to Mexico’s midterm elections. The violence has shown how divided, chaotic and intertwined with organized crime Mexico’s political system has become.
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Mexican voters are heading to the polls this Sunday in what’s expected to be the biggest election the country has ever held, with more people on the ballot than ever before. It’s also becoming one of the bloodiest elections in Mexico. To date, 35 candidates have been killed. The president is not on the ballot for these midterm elections, but the vote is viewed as a referendum on his rule and whether his party can hold on to its supermajority needed to push through more of his populist plans. NPR’s Mexico correspondent Carrie Kahn is with us now.
Hi, Carrie.
CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE: Hi, Ari.
SHAPIRO: So as we said, these are the biggest elections ever held in Mexico. What is up for grabs this Sunday? What’s at stake? And is the country prepared for it?
KAHN: There are a lot of races. The biggest prize – probably the 15 governorships. There’s a race in almost half of all states. Every single seat in the lower House of the Congress is up for grabs and thousands of mayoral seats and state legislative posts. Mexico’s independent electoral institution says it is prepared for this huge election, but violence might get in the way and keep voters away.
SHAPIRO: Yeah, the scale of violence is staggering – more than 30 candidates killed. What’s behind this?
KAHN: The quick answer – organized crime gangs, cartels. They’re growing in numbers and infiltrating more into politics. Falko Ernst is a Mexico City-based analyst with the International Crisis Group, and he says politics and crime have long been intertwined in Mexico.
At least 88 politicians have been killed in Mexico since September
…maybe the Mexican system IS better, at least THEIR politicians are accountable to SOMEBODY, and there are actual CONSEQUENCES for their actions, unlike HERE…
Maybe we are already there and the mobsters just point out what happens in Mexico to our politicians and say “I’d hate to see that happen to you”.
I’ve been to Mexico (not the tourist areas) and it is frightening to be there as a Gringo.
But then I accidently drove through west Baltimore and had the same fear…
Didn’t Time cover page proclaim “We are all Mexico now” ?
Mexico can thank Biden/Harris for their uptick in drug cartel violence.
Now that’s what I call term limits. if you are a very unpopular politician, don’t bother with recall petitions, outside and up against the wall. Since these asshats want to emulate the CCP, that’s part of it.
Only the corrupt will stay alive to serve in office.
Now if Mexico only had struck gun control laws….
^^
They kind of do, but it was overridden with fast and furious. Thank the disgraced Eric Holder, ATF and Obama.
I’ve read that 90% of the Pot Grows in NorCal are grown/owned by the Mex Cartels. In my county we’ve already had a Deputy murdered by a Cartel member. This will only increase now that Brain Dead is inviting them in.
“……politics and crime have long been intertwined in Mexico.”
They may have learned that from American politics.
Maybe we could import THOSE Mexicans, to DO the work “actual Americans just WON’T do!” 🤔
😳
All cultures are beautiful.
Who are we to judge.
Maybe before we allow anyone to run for office in this country we could require they serve six years as an apprentice politician in Mexico!
Any way we could get some of that here, without the cartels?
Asking for some friends….
“Amount” is used to indicate a quantity that can be measured by volume. “Number” denotes things that can be counted. I find it hard to trust writers ignorant of simple grammar.