Mexico Vote Stirs Emotions in L.A. Community

Mexico’s dramatic presidential election has stirred more interest and stronger emotion among members of Los Angeles’ Mexican immigrant community than many say they ever remember.

“Wherever you go, everybody’s talking about it,” said Alejandro Aranda, 31, tending customers Saturday afternoon behind a bakery counter at downtown’s Grand Central Market. “And everybody’s saying the PRI (Mexico’s ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party) has committed fraud. People are angry.”

For some, the anger is tempered by cynicism: “The PRI is going to win like always,” said a gray-haired man standing outside the market with a group of old-timers watching the usual weekend parade of shoppers.

Impressed by Opposition

But many, like Maria Chavez, 84, who said she’s been following every detail of the election on Spanish-language television and in the press, are impressed by the unprecedented strong showing of opposition party candidates.

“This is the start of change in Mexico, mark my words,” she told Aranda.

The mixture of optimism, anger and cynicism was evident among Mexican merchants, shoppers and tourists alike along Broadway, a favorite commercial center for Los Angeles’ largest immigrant community.

Criticism of the PRI--which many referred to variously as “the Mafia,” “thieves,” “the imperialists”--appeared as universal as was support for Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, a former PRI politician who has mounted the strongest challenge to his old party. Many recalled his father, former President Lazaro Cardenas, who was one of Mexico’s most popular presidents.

Some Predict Violence

Among the many who said they hope the election will mark the end of Mexico’s traditional one-party rule, some even predicted that a PRI victory coupled with proof of widespread election fraud may lead to violence.

“If the PRI wins, there will be more deaths. The people are fed up; that’s why so many of us come here. People are ready to rise up against the injustice,” said Fernando Aguirre Leon, 46, a public accountant in Mexico who said that the worsening economy in Mexico had forced him to come to the United States to support his family.

“If there’s a revolution, we will go back to help,” said Aguirre’s companion, Miguel Cortez, 49. The two come from the Mexican state of Colima and work on Broadway passing out business cards for local merchants. They also sell “fine” watches, they said.

But even if the ruling party prevails, some remain optimistic.

“This challenge will force the PRI to change, even if it remains in power,” said Jose Luis Escobar, 54, discussing the issue at a herb counter in a corner of the Grand Central Market. “Maybe next time another party will win.”

Cast Symbolic Ballots

Escobar was one of 1,500 people who cast symbolic ballots in front of the Mexican consulate last weekend calling on the Mexican government to conduct fair elections. Organizers of the event, who collected a total of about 3,000 “ballots” from Mexican immigrant communities across the state, said that the formation of numerous small groups has been spurred by interest in the election.