Mexico: AMLO, Other Presidential Candidates, Wrap Up Campaigns

Mexicans will elect their new president, federal legislators and several local positions Sunday, and presidential candidates held their campaigns' closing rallies Wednesday evening, some more spectacular than others.

RELATED:

Mexico: AMLO Closes Campaign Poised for Likely Victory

Four candidates are still in the presidential race, after Margarita Zavala left it due to a disastrous campaign, and they're all very optimistic about the results. But if polls are right there will be a clear winner, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The candidate of the Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI), Jose Antonio Meade, closed his campaign in one of the party's strongholds, the northern industrial city of Saltillo, in the state of Coahuila. Meade showed a great control of the stage and supporters did their thing, positive they will hold the next federal government.

However, he has low chances and the highlight of his speech was actually when he mentioned the center-left candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, also known as AMLO.

“History will judge those who, knowing the risk of the authoritarian and undemocratic alternative of Andres Manuel, have enabled it. An Andres Manuel that threats everybody, threats the Supreme Court of Justice, threats the armed forces, threats families with taking criminals out to the streets... and threats with taking out tigers and demons...” said Meade.

The candidates focused their campaigns on attacking AMLO, the front-runner leading the “Together We Will Make History” coalition who is in the presidential race for the third time. But their strategy, which the same AMLO dubs as a “dirty war” of propaganda, doesn't seem to be working this time.

AMLO hoped to have his rally at Mexico City's massive square, popularly known as El Zocalo, but he was denied permit. Letting AMLO do his ceremony there, between the country's presidential palace, the main cathedral and ancient Aztec temple ruins, would have meant recognizing his imminent victory. Instead, he went to the Estadio Azteca, Mexico's biggest stadium with a capacity of 87,000 people. There, he held the #AMLOFEST.

“We're about to carry out a transformation without spilling blood, in a peaceful manner. But nobody should get confused. Not because it's peaceful the change won't be deep. It will be like the independence, like the revolution or the reform. It will even be radical, but no one should be scared,” said AMLO in the closing speech.

Belinda, singer and model who began her career starring in soap operas for children, was one of the artists opening the ceremony. Her children songs, not taken very seriously, appealed to a public that used to watch her on TV when younger, and her “rancheras” were just, well, universal. She announced her support for the center-left candidate a few weeks ago, and Lopez Obrador didn't hesitate in inviting her.

The singer was followed by Claudia Sheinbaum, a young woman who is aspiring to be the next mayor of Mexico City and has adopted AMLO's discourse into her own program.

“We're heirs of our history's cultural richness, of the heroes that gave us this homeland. We won't let you down,” said Sheinbaum.

A few hundred kilometers to the north in the industrial city of Leon, state of Guanajuato, the right-wing runner-up Ricardo Anaya also showed confidence he will become the next president of Mexico.

“It was a pleasure closing our campaign with the joy and spirit of the people of Guanajuato. From Leon, I ask you to put soul, hearth and life to change Mexico this July 1. The ones voting for the Front are a lot more and with your vote, we will win! Thanks!”

And far away from his few supporters, the independent candidate Jaime Rodriguez “El Bronco” held a Facebook live transmission as his closing ceremony, either to save money or perhaps to avoid trying to fill a venue.

In his TV set ceremony, which resembled more some of the interviews held during the campaign, El Bronco answered Whatsapp messages and said his proposed military schools will be free of charge and that he would look for retired officers to teach children and youngsters.

He said about 2 million people watched his ceremony, amounting to “20 Estadios Aztecas,” and called for rejecting political parties.