Mexico’s century-long hegemonic Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) suffered a historical upset on Sunday, losing control of the key State of Mexico to President Andrés Manuel “AMLO” López Obrador’s ascendant Morena party.
The central state, colloquially known in Mexico as Edomex, is the country’s most populous, with 17 million inhabitants, as well as strategically important due to its location surrounding the country’s capital, Mexico City.
A rapid vote count gave the Morena candidate Delfina Gómez a 52-44 percent victory, and PRI rival Alejandra del Moral conceded defeat with no reservations. The former teacher and governor-elect celebrated saying “the transformation” in the PRI-dominated state “begins today.”
The result is a new blow for the once-mighty PRI party, which had controlled national politics since the end of the Mexican Revolution in 1930. The party lost its national dominance at the turn of the century following a series of electoral reforms but had continuously held on to power in Edomex over the last 94 years.
After conquering new territory, AMLO’s Morena party is now an even stronger favorite for Mexico’s 2024 general elections, which could consolidate the party as the new powerhouse in national politics, even though AMLO cannot run for a second term.
Morena now holds the governorship in 23 of Mexico’s 32 states, either directly or indirectly through political allies, including in Mexico City. The fragmented opposition holds on to power in the remaining nine states.
The PRI party got a consolation prize in the weekend’s other governor race, winning the northern state of Coahuila with more than 50 percent of votes — but the result was strongly overshadowed by Morena’s triumph in the crucial State of Mexico.
AMLO celebrated the electoral process, saying “no major problems,” such as protests or transparency questions, took place during the weekend. He is expected to talk with both winning representatives during the day on Monday, while the national focus will likely shift to next year’s presidential elections.
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