Is a peaceful transfer of power achievable through the ballot box?

An electoral officer assists a voter with her presidential ballot during general elections in Mexico City, June 2, 2024. | Matias Delacroix / AP

For those skeptical about societal change via the electoral process, recent developments in Mexico offer a compelling example.

In 2018, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, affectionately known as AMLO, was elected president of Mexico after two previous attempts. His earlier campaigns were marred by voter fraud and misinformation about his intentions. The lack of responsiveness from the prior presidents to the needs of the populace fueled a significant voter turnout, however, ultimately leading to his victory.

During his six-year term, AMLO began implementing promised changes, supported by a substantial number of progressive members in Congress and the Senate whom the people elected in subsequent elections. His daily morning press conferences, viewed by hundreds of thousands, played a crucial role in countering misinformation from mainstream media, which often sought to undermine him. At these conferences, he directly challenged falsehoods, presenting evidence to expose the truth.

AMLO committed to executing 100 actions aimed at benefiting the people, with a focus on the most impoverished. His slogan, “For the good of all, the poor come first,” encapsulated his priorities. Under his leadership, he introduced pensions for the elderly and disabled, increased school attendance by providing necessary resources, and raised the minimum wage.

He also built hospitals in underserved areas and constructed a train to enhance commercial access, particularly for indigenous communities. Funding for these initiatives came from eliminating numerous bureaucratic offices often used to siphon funds into private hands. Each week, he showcased how certain agencies were misusing public money, reinforcing accountability. He addressed government salary abuse by reducing his salary, along with those of other public, senate, and congressional officials by 50%.

Moreover, he acknowledged Mexicans living abroad as heroes for their economic contributions to their families and the nation. His administration achieved its main goal of restoring sovereignty, liberty, and dignity to the Mexican people.

Throughout his six-year term, AMLO stressed the critical role that democracy plays in any legitimate social transformation. He introduced innovative approaches to expand democratic participation such as the Revocation Mandate, which states that the citizens will now vote at the midterm point of any administration on whether to keep or remove a president that does not meet their expectations. Other examples include the requirement, for the first time in history, that all judges be elected instead of appointed and the initiation of national referendums to guarantee that citizens will now have a say so on major laws or constitutional changes.

Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo was recently elected as AMLO’s successor, becoming Mexico’s first woman president. She captured 60% of the vote, winning by a larger margin than AMLO did, reflecting a growing faith in the democratic process and the public’s desire to continue the transformation.

In her inauguration speech, she stated:

“I am a woman, a mother, a grandmother, and now I am the president of Mexico. I did not come here by myself; there are many who made this possible—from those that we have recognized to those that have been in the background silently supporting us, from our great grandmother, to our grandmothers, our mothers, our aunts, and those who came generations before us.”

The public’s support, first for AMLO and now for Sheinbaum, reflects a preference for a national project rather than merely a government initiative, to empower themselves to make decisions on constitutional changes they previously couldn’t. Today, citizens vote for a vision rather than just an individual, participating in national referendums that grant them the power to influence governance.

Sheinbaum has pledged to advance goals prioritizing people over profits, caring for the environment, and addressing extreme poverty. She also plans to continue AMLO’s practice of daily press conferences to maintain a connection with the working population, and she will engage with communities to understand their needs better. This approach is crucial for countering right-wing narratives against the administration.

In the coming weeks, her administration will launch a campaign to enroll women aged 60 to 64, many of whom have spent their lives working at home without access to pensions.

The feasibility of her goals is enhanced by the election of a supermajority in Congress and a near-majority in the Senate, despite still facing challenges. Nevertheless, the ballot box has clearly indicated the people’s desires.

Of course, the right will not relinquish power easily, especially economic power, but even here inroads have already been made that are beginning to shift the balance of power.

Examples include regaining control over both electric and oil production by wrestling majority ownership away from multinational corporations. The Mexican people’s government nationalized their newly-discovered lithium deposits to prevent foreign exploitation. They created a national public bank and financial institutions that give preferential terms to its members while promoting the creation of worker co-ops and collectives.

As expected, with these changes come the ongoing threats of soft coups, infiltrations, sabotage, and cartel violence, all of which will require vigilance from the Mexican people to defend their gains and continue their path towards meaningful transformation.

At this moment, in time, it appears that Mexico’s path towards a more peaceful, just, and prosperous future is cemented squarely in the democratic process. There are plenty of lessons to be learned from their experience.

¡Adelante!

As with all news-analysis and op-ed articles published by People’s World, this article reflects the views of its author.

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CONTRIBUTOR

Rossana Cambron

Rossana Cambron is co-chair of the Communist Party USA. She is active in the peace and immigrant rights movements, enjoys learning about new technology and reading about historical events. She is also a videographer for People's World in Southern California.