the nation City. Among other parties, only On the left, a new party, the the PST has shown signs of Mexican Socialist Party change, but not precisely on (PMS), is in the process of for- electoral issues. The party is Political Parties mation, product of the amal- locked in a power struggle in- gamation of two registered volving two factions mutually parties, the United Socialist accusing each other of Prepare their Electoral Party of (PSUM) and "betraying founding princi- the Mexican Worker's Party pies". Neither the PPS nor the Strategies (PMT), with three unregistered PARM has made important organizations, the Left Com- announcements over the past munist Union (UIC), the Patri- few months. Probably they otic Revolutionary Party (PPR) will not contest the presiden- and the People's Revolution- tial election, opting, as usual, ary Movement (MRP). The fu- to supprt the PRI candidate. sion was announced at the Meanwhile, the right-wing President Miguel de la October national convention. end of March, and the new PDM has recently ratified as Madrid has rightly called The approach of the elections party plans to hold its consti- leader ex-presidential candi- 1987 a "political year". From has unleashed severe faction- tuent congress in October. It date Ignacio González Gollaz. January on, all the officially- fighting in PAN ranks, with remains to be seen whether No changes there, either.* registered parties have been challenges offered to the the Trotskyite PRT will form an gathering their forces for the legitimacy of newly-elected electoral coalition with the 1988 Presidential elections. party president Luis H. Alva- PMS or run its own presiden- Eight of them are getting rez, ex-mayor of Chihuahua tial candidate. Arturo Cano ready to take part: the Institu- tional Revolutionary Party (PRI), National Action Party (PAN), Mexican Socialist Party (PMS), Revolutionary Wor- Parties Select their Presidential ker's Party (PRT), Mexican Democrat Party (PDM), So- Candidates cialist Worker's Party (PST), Popular Socialist Party (PPS) With presidential elections coming up in July er Sonora gubernatorial candidate; and Fernando and the Authentic Mexican 1988, Mexican political parties are not only draft- Canales Clariond, another business leader and ex- Revolution Party (PARM). ing strategy and programs, but also picking can- gubernatorial candidate, this time in the state of The governing PRI adopt- didates. By September or October, both governing Nuevo León. Another name worth mentioning is ed its election policy at its PRI and its two main opponents, PAN and PMS, that of Francisco Barrio, ex-mayor of Ciudad Juá- March National Assem- will have made their choices. rez, considered by many PAN supporters the only bly,which was attended by According to the Mexican press, possible PRI leader prepared to "go all out" if nominated. two ex-presidents, Luis precandidates are, among othe.rs, Manuel Bartlett, The PMS is likely to launch one of the leaders Echeverría and José López Interior Minister; Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Plan- of its merging organizations, such as PMT veteran ning and Budget Minister; Alfredo del Mazo, Portillo. The so-called PRI Heberto Castillo; Chihuahua PSUM leader Anto- Minister for Energy Resources, Mining, and nio Becerra Gaytán; or UIC General Secretary Democratizing Tendency has Parastate Industry; and Miguel González Avelar, Manuel Terrazas. Pablo González Casanova, not- called for changes in the Education Minister. ed intellectual and ex UNAM rector, has also been party's presidential candidate In the PAN, the choice is thought to he between suggested as a possible PMS candidate. selection procedures. business leader Manuel Clouthier, ex The PAN, chief right-wing gubernatorial contender; Adalberto Rosas, form- A.C. oppostion party, will elect its presidential candidate at its

Voting Patterns in Mexico

One well-known fact about Mexican electoral behavior is the high recent years. In the 1952 presidential elections, the percentage of percentage of votes obtained by the Institutional Revolutionary Party registered voters who did not cast ballots was 26%. This figure rose (PRI). In presidential elections, for example, there have been only two to 28% in 1958, to 30.6% in 1964, and to 35% in 1970. It went down occasions since the PRI's founding in 1929 that the opposition has again in 1976 and 1982, however, when abstentionism rates of 31% gained even 25% of ballots cast. and 25.2%, respectively, were.registered. In five of the ten last presidential elections, the PRI won 90% or These aspects of electoral behavior are not uniform throughout more of the votes cast; in 1946,1964, gnd 1970, it received over 75%. the country. While at a national leve) the PRI's strength is Only in two elections were the figures lower: 74% in 1952 and 71 % overwhelming, opposition parties are in some cases important at the in 1982. state level. By the same token, abstentionism also varíes among the High abstentionism rates is another feature of Mexican elections. 31 states making up the Mexican federation. Eligible voters fail to register; registered voters do not attend polis. This second kind of abstentionism has become more important in Rogelio Ramos Oranday

From the book Las elecciones en México: evolución y perspectivas. 8