Mexican president moves Independence Day celebration

[cal04]

Mexican President Vicente Fox backed away from another showdown with leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday, announcing that he wouldn't hold his annual Independence Day celebration in the capital's main Zocalo square to avoid protesters.

Lopez Obrador and his supporters had vowed to upstage Fox by refusing to take part in Friday's annual salute of "Viva Mexico!" delivered each year by the president. They are planning to take over the Zocalo for their own celebration, and some had feared clashes if pro-government revelers showed up.

Fox will move his ceremony to the small, central town of Dolores Hidalgo, 170 miles (270 kilometers) northwest of Mexico City, where Roman Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo launched the first call for independence from Spain in 1810. The town is located in Fox's home state of Guanajuato, a bastion of support for his conservative National Action Party.

Interior Secretary Carlos Abascal made the announcement shortly after the Senate voted unanimously to recommend that Fox not travel to the Zocalo.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/09/14/mexico.holiday.conflict.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest


Supporters of presidential candidate for the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador camp in front of the National Palace in Mexico City September 14, 2006, one day before the eve of independence day.

[Robbien]

1. This is twice the Mexican senate voted against Fox

First no speech and now no parade.

Doesn't bode well for Bushbuddy Caulderon

[tnlefty]

2. Heh, heh, and I'm lovin' every minute of it. Stealing an election is met

with hostility in some countries doncha know.

[Adelante]

3. This works to benefit Fox, Calderon and the PAN

Every time something like this happens, AMLO loses support. The PRD disapproval ratings went to 80% after the PRD deputies blocked Fox's speech on September 1. Don't confuse AMLO's followers with the rest of Mexico. Fox is actually a fairly popular president and Mexicans do not like seeing the president and the presidency insulted. Maybe I'm wrong, but this looks like a smooth move by Fox.

[Bridget Burke]

4. There will still be a celebration in Mexico City....

...the current Mexico City mayor, Alejandro Encinas, a member of Lopez Obrador's party, will lead the Zocalo festivities.

Lopez Obrador supporters called it a symbolic victory.

"This is punishment vote for Fox," said Carlos Campos, a 45-year-old chemist.

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4188502.html

Yes, Fox is very smooth. But you'll note that a chemist is quoted above--AMLO's followers are only the poorest Mexicans.

[Adelante]

5. Now AMLO has withdrawn his own grito

It would have been a big mistake for him to assume that role, public relations-wise. Encinas is a good compromise.




Edit: typo

[Adelante]

6. Stuff in today's papers

The Senate negotiated the deal all week. Fox would move his grito to Dolores Hidalgo if AMLO agreed to step back on giving a second grito and permanently remove from the Zocalo after his convention. The first two parts happened. We'll have to see about the third, although that's what is expected to happen and it's been announced by AMLO that he would begin traveling around the country.

In any case, none of this seems to be concerning Mexicans today. For the past two hours I've watched a huge parade from my balcony honoring the military. No end in sight and I'm nowhere near Mexico City.