Wednesday, August 09, 2006

 

"Pandora's Ballot Boxes"

That's the title of an article by Luis Linares Zapata in La Jornada. It captures the situation in Mexico. After a month of intransigence by the electoral commission, the ballot recount begins. Much of the electoral clock has already been run out, meaning that if there are serious disagreements about the results, there won't be time to talk them through. They will be fought through. The PRD is suggesting that the federal election institute tampered with the ballot boxes during their illegal recount. Via El Machete the Center for Economic Policy Research has a report saying that the election institute chose to recount those ballot boxes which one would know in advance would increase Calderon's margin. If there is a big loser in this election, it's the election institute, which is plainly crooked. In the "you can't make this stuff up" category, Astillero also provides a dialogue that occurred in Iztapalapa. Here's my paraphrase: PRD Representative: The numbers on the precinct tally don't add up. Council President: It hasn't been changed from the original. PRD Rep: I'm saying that the tally data don't match the vote count... Council President: (interrupting, reads legal mumbo jumbo) PRD Rep: Um... Council President: I haven't given you the floor and you haven't requested it. I expect you to return the respect you've been granted. PRD Rep: May I speak? Council President: Not until the next round. This cartoon points out that the PRD is using exactly the same civil disobedience the PAN used to protest the rotten 1988 election.
Comments: Post a Comment

<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

More blogs about politics.
Technorati Blog Finder