Mexico's Obrador Keeps His Cool While Rivals Slam Him in Debate

[Judi Lynn]

By Nacha Cattan
April 22, 2018, 10:44 PM CDT Updated on April 23, 2018, 2:57 PM CDT

- Anaya delivers most blows and ties with AMLO in phone poll
- Lopez Obrador is leading by 20.5 points in Bloomberg Tracker

Mexican candidates picked apart front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s proposals to improve public safety and combat corruption in the first presidential debate, which featured some fireworks but nothing likely to substantially shift the current poll standings.

In the first of three debates ahead of the July 1 election, Lopez Obrador’s four rivals sought to eat away at his commanding poll lead, looking to shoot holes in his plans for remaking the nation’s security and economic models.

Lopez Obrador’s closest rival, Ricardo Anaya, who heads a coalition of right and left-leaning parties, led the charge, attacking Lopez Orbrador over his proposals to grant amnesty to criminals in some cases and to have a major role in choosing an independent prosecutor, saying such policies would increase violence and graft. Lopez Obrador, departing from past form, offered a measured and restrained defense when attacked and largely kept his cool over the course of the two-hour nationally televised face-off Sunday night.

"The attacks against Lopez Obrador won’t have big repercussions because it’s mostly old news that voters have already heard," said Aldo Munoz, a political analyst at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico. "I don’t think voter preferences will move based on this debate."

More:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-23/mexico-runner-ups-attack-amlo-s-amnesty-plan-in-heated-debate