Elections State of Mexico and Coahuila 2023: The “mini republic” that could define the presidency

Sara Esquivel gets up at four in the morning to get to work on time at Mexico City. She travels cramped and afraid of being robbed, but she has no choice. In Los Reyes La Paz you barely survive.

It takes two hours by bus and subway from this municipality in the central Mexico state, the most populous in the country with 16.9 million inhabitants, who will elect a new governor next Sunday. A decision that could tip the balance more in favor of the leftist ruling party in the 2024 presidential elections.

LOOK HERE: Elections State of Mexico and Coahuila 2023: The state elections mark the start of the race for the presidency

“I had to see myself in the need to go to work further away because they are expenses in this house; I had to support three children, the rent, the electricity, the telephone”, tells AFP Esquivel, 54, in a neighborhood of houses made by hand.

In The Kings and other municipalities in the state, a store employee, for example, earns about 800 pesos a week (45 dollars), a situation that drives thousands to the capital, where they can double that income.

The State of Mexico is thus an x-ray of the country: half of its population (almost that of Guatemala) is poor, many lack basic services and live with wealthy areas such as the tourist Bravo Valley either huixquilucanwith authentic mansions.

“We like to come here because the weather is nice” and “the food is very tasty”, points out Carlos Arpaezwho travels on weekends to Bravo Valley with his motorcycle club.

The state is also home to the famous pyramids of Teotihuacan and large industrial centers with companies such as nestle either Ford. In fact, it is the second that contributes the most to the GDP of Mexico (9.1% in 2022).

“It is a deeply fragmented Mexican mini-republic, in some points traditional, others modern and very close to the global dimensions of politics and economy, and others deeply rural.”, observes the political scientist Miguel Tovarfrom the firm Alterpraxis.

In rich neighborhoods they don’t steal

the educator Delfina Gomez is shaping up to win the governorship Alejandra del Moral. His victory would end nine decades of PRI dominance in the state and usher in a new hegemony in Mexico, that of Brunetteparty of the president Andres Manuel Lopez Obradorwhich governs in most regions.

But this election is also a reminder of the lack of opportunities, insecurity and inequality that afflict people like Sara Esquivel in all of Mexico.

MORE INFORMATION: Elections State of Mexico and Coahuila 2023: more than 15 million Mexicans are called to vote in key elections

Her routine involves fighting for a space on the insufficient buses and subway lines that connect with the capital, where lawsuits and robberies are daily, says the woman, who cleans buildings that are being built in wealthy sectors.

Those neighborhoodsThey have no problem (…), there is no crime because they are areas of money”, adds Esquivel, hopeful that the new governor will put at least more lighting or security cameras on the buses.

The State of Mexico is the second with the most homicides in the country (917 between January and April, out of a total of 9,912) and the third with the most disappeared (about 12,000 or 10% of the total). In some municipalities the perception of insecurity reaches 88%.

Juan Jose Mendezinhabitant of tlalnepantla50 years old, assures that the police evade neighborhoods of that municipality, to the point that some agents are sent there as “punishment”, and the authorities wield “that there is little budget”.

“We have to make do with the little that they send us. They do not stop treating us as if we were a town, a ranch”, he says in a cleaning products business that he opened due to the lack of employment.

“Let’s see if they comply”

Esquivel leaves his house in the dark at dawn and returns at night dodging thieves, who sometimes use violence.

In addition, she is concerned about the safety of her adult daughters, since the State of Mexico registers the highest rates of gender violence in the country.

ALSO SEE: Where to vote today in the Edomex and Cohauila 2023 Elections: consult INE, today Sunday June 4

And even if I wanted to, live in Mexico City It is far from being an option, even worse when the megacity undergoes changes that expel many towards the periphery. According to the Federal Mortgage Society, the price of housing in the Mexico’s valley it rose 6.4% in the first quarter of 2023 alone.

Witnesses of multiple broken promises, Esquivel and Méndez cannot hide their disappointment. “It is bread with the same, only that there are two colors and two flavors, or sweet or spicy and nothing more. Now we do give them the benefit of the doubt, let’s see if they comply…says Mendez.

Source: Elcomercio

jack

I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.