VZCZCXRO7404
PP RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #1370/01 0722116
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 132116Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9646
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MEXICO 001370 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MX
SUBJECT: LEFT GAINS IN KEY MEXICO STATE ELECTION 
 
REF: 05 MEXICO 6403 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: Although the Institutional Revolutionary 
Party (PRI) appears to have won a narrow plurality in the 
March 12 Mexico state elections, the left-of-center Party of 
the Democratic Revolution (PRD) made impressive gains, easily 
displacing President Fox's National Action Party (PAN) as the 
second political force in the state, and weakening the hand 
of the PRI Governor.  The PRD's gains were reflected both in 
its vote for the state congress and in the number of 
mayoralties it won.  The PRI campaign undoubtedly suffered 
from the scandal over the apparent illicit enrichment of 
former state governor and PRIista Arturo Montiel (reftel). 
Yesterday's result adds to the PRD's momentum in the national 
election, while contributing to the impression that both the 
PAN and the PRI remain at a decided disadvantage.  End 
Summary. 
 
A Look at the Results 
--------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) At stake in the election were 125 municipal 
presidencies and 75 seats in the state congress, 45 chosen by 
direct election and 30 from statewide party lists.  Although 
the PRI apparently emerged with a narrow plurality with 
respect to votes for the state congress, both it and the PAN 
lost considerable ground to the PRD.  With approximately 97% 
of votes counted, the PRI and its alliance partner the Green 
Party (PVEM) together won 32% of the vote for the state 
congress; the PRD and its alliance partner the Labor Party 
(PT) followed close behind with 31%, with the PAN lagging at 
26%.  For purposes of comparison, in the 2003 state 
elections, the PRI won 35%, the PAN 29% and the PRD 24%.  As 
for congressional districts, the PRI appears to have won 19 
of 45 directly elected state legislators, 5 fewer than it 
held in the outgoing congress.  The PRD increased its 
representation by 7 seats, to 17, and the PAN dropped 2 
congressional seats, to 9.  The 30 congressional seats 
elected from statewide lists will be distributed 
proportionately, according to the percentage of votes each 
party won. 
 
¶3.  (U) As for mayoralties, the PRI, alone and in coalition, 
won a total of 53 mayoralties, 15 less than it currently 
governs.  The PRD alone won 24 mayoralties, for a gain of 1, 
but won an additional 12 in coalition with smaller parties. 
The PAN, won 25, for a net gain of one.  Smaller parties and 
local parties won several mayoralties, and the results in 
several municipalities remain too close to call. 
 
Apathy Rules the Day 
-------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The PRI's weak performance may have been mitigated 
in part by the low participation rate, approximately 40.5% 
statewide.  Most analysts concur that a low participation 
rate favors the PRI, which has by the far the best organized 
get-out-the-vote machinery, capable of delivering a large 
number of loyal PRI voters to the polls regardless of overall 
turnout.  Yesterday's low turnout may hold a cautionary tale 
for the PRI: having only barely managed to eke out a first 
place finish with low turnout working in its favor, it may be 
hard pressed to repeat even this result on July 2, when the 
turnout is likely to be much higher. 
 
Electoral Officials Show Off a Professional Operation 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) At the headquarters of the Mexico State Electoral 
Institute (IEEM), a festive atmosphere prevailed on election 
day.  Local officials went out of their way to welcome 
"invited guests" from foreign embassies and NGOs, offering 
three catered meals as well as a raft of IEEM-monogrammed 
souvenirs.  The IEEM gave the impression of running a highly 
professional and transparent operation, with outsiders 
allowed to observe the electoral tribunal's deliberations 
over complaints of electoral law violations.  Although there 
were scattered complaints of small-scale fraud and electoral 
law violations during the day, IEEM officials assured us the 
scale of complaints was typical for an election in what is 
Mexico's most populous state.  (Note: The press reported two 
shootings in connection with the vote.  In one case, PRI 
activists apparently shot a person who was delivering meals 
to poll workers; they apparently believed he was a PRD 
activist seeking to buy votes with free meals.  End note.) 
 
Expectations vs. Spin 
--------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Although PRI leaders sought to spin the fact that 
 
MEXICO 00001370  002 OF 002 
 
 
their party remained the largest political force in Mexico 
state, several party contacts told us last week that they 
would consider anything less than 35% of the statewide vote 
to be a significant setback.  A PRI-affiliated political 
analyst told poloff today that while the PRI indeed had won a 
plurality of mayoralties in the state, many of these were in 
smaller cities.  He observed that the PAN held on to the 
major economic centers in the state, whereas the PRD won 
several of the most populous cities, most notably wresting 
control of the largest, Ecatepec, from the PRI.  He asserted 
that the big loser in the election was popular PRI Governor 
Enrique Pena Nieto, who won a landslide victory last year. 
Considered a PRI rising star and possible 2012 presidential 
candidate, Pena Nieto will have considerably less control 
over the incoming congress than he did over the outgoing 
congress, making it difficult to advance his agenda.  Our 
contact noted that the PRD and PAN factions in the incoming 
congress will now be able to join forces to hold hearings on 
former Governor Montiel's apparent illicit enrichment while 
in office, to ensure that the PRIista's misdeeds stay in the 
limelight through July 2. 
 
Comment: A Second Place Victory 
------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) There is no question that the PRD's impressive 
performance in a state that traditionally has been a PRI 
stronghold represents a considerable setback for the PRI. 
Nevertheless, that party's spin machine may have some value, 
as the press has been portraying the PAN as the day's biggest 
loser, when in fact it lost considerably fewer congressional 
seats than the PRI, and actually gained a mayoralty.  In our 
view, the bottom line on the Mexico state election is this: 
by finishing within one percent of the PRI, the PRD 
demonstrated that its surge in the polls -- dismissed by many 
as ephemeral -- indeed translates into considerable gains on 
the ground.  Those in the traditional parties who were 
counting on their party's "voto duro" (loyal voters) to 
emerge from the woodwork on election day had best rethink 
their strategy. 
 
 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity 
 
GARZA