Old-style government practices seen in Mexican recall vote

By MARÍA VERZA
Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Analysts in Mexico say President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s recall vote could, paradoxically,  leave Mexico’s democracy weaker. López Obrador’s Morena party used illegal, old-style tactics to get out the vote for Sunday’s recall vote, which the president was never in doubt of losing. Near-final vote tallies Monday showed him winning about 92% of ballots saying he should remain in office. But the president wanted to get large numbers of voters to turn out Sunday. The leader of López Obrador’s party boasted about driving around in a van, picking up people to take them to polling places, — a practice that is illegal in Mexico. Analyst noted that some government employees also were required to bring a minimum number of people to polling places.