A New Hope For Mexico?

Andrés Manuel López Obrador is leading the polls in Mexico. Often referred to simply as AMLO, he invites diverse and even opposing reactions that speak more about his observers than about him. He is often compared to other "outsider" foreign candidates and leaders, such as Hugo Chávez, Jeremy Corbyn or Bernie Sanders, but he is very much a man made in Mexico. 

The promise of a democratic transition in Mexico has never been realized. It's an increasingly violent and deeply corrupt narco-state, which has failed to deliver on the promise of economic development, and in recent years has struggled to guarantee citizens' basic political and civil rights. At The New York Review of Books, Mark Weisbrot explores this backdrop and what it means for the upcoming election. In this context, Mexico's electoral field in 2018 is as complex and fragmented as ever. 

In this context, AMLO has risen as the head of a movement that voices discontent. He has forcefully denounced corruption, poverty, and wasteful government spending. But the big question, rather than doubts and anxieties provoked by his style and personality cited in the media, is whether he will be able to deliver on his promises.

Carlos Bravo and Patrick Iber analyze the candidate, his ideas, and his proposals in a profilein Dissent Magazine.

"His movement is afflicted by a great-man theory of history in which a change in leadership will, by itself, turn things around. In this regard, sometimes it seems that AMLO’s most important proposal is AMLO himself", Bravo and Iber explain.

His biggest card is indeed his popular appeal. And he has tried to bring together a wide variety of groups and sectors into a big-tent coalition. Hope and the prospect of change are necessary and healthy: "He is the strongest opposition candidate confronting a deeply unpopular administration". But whether he'll be able to deliver on these promises is yet to be seen.