The leftist National Regeneration Movement (Morena), from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, seized the governorship of the State of Mexico, after the elections on Sunday, June 4. A historic result with which he replaces in power the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) that has ruled there for 94 years. The pro-government bench will govern the region at the hands of Delfina Gómez, in a victory that is key for the 2024 presidential elections as it is the most populous state in the country.
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Historical change. Mexico’s ruling party seized at the polls one of the biggest bastions of the opposition after nearly a century of political hegemony.
With more than 98% of the votes counted, Delfina Gómez, of the leftist National Regeneration Movement (Morena), prevails in the elections for the governorship of the State of Mexico, with more than 52% of the votes, against her main rival, Alejandra del Moral, of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). ), who reaches around 44% of the votes.
This is an unprecedented twist and marks a milestone for Mexican politics, as the ruling party succeeds in overthrowing the nation’s former political power: the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which has ruled the region for 94 years.
But beyond the local scope, the victory is key in the face of the presidential elections, scheduled for June 2, 2024.
Especially as it is the nation’s most populous state with close to 17 million inhabitants, the result gives the ruling movement a large power base.
In addition, with this victory, Morena, of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), adds control of 22 states in the country, because the official party already runs another 21 regions. These are more than two thirds of the total of 32 federal entities that make up the Mexican territory.
Without a doubt, a significant advance by Morena after AMLO managed, in December 2018, to become the first left-wing president in the history of Mexico.
The PRI retains its stronghold in Coahuila
Despite the great setback he suffered when he lost the governorship of the most populous state in the country, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) survives in Coahuila, holding on to a stronghold that it has never lost in an election.
Over there, with almost 100% of the counting of the votes, Manolo Jiménez obtains close to 57% of the votes, compared to Armando Guadiana, from Morena, who reaches around 21% support.
The PRI manages to maintain its leadership in that state after running in these elections as part of a coalition, accompanied by two other political movements: the National Action Party (PAN) and the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD).
Hours before the authorities released these results, Jiménez had already declared himself the winner of the contest. “We are going to govern for everyone, for those who voted for us and for those who did not, we call for unity and teamwork,” he assured in a speech in front of dozens of his supporters.
Also for 94 years Coahuila has been governed by the PRI and that mandate is now extended for the period 2023-2029.
In this region, the 2.3 million citizens qualified to vote also elected the 25 deputies of the local Congress.
The electoral contests in Coahuila and the State of Mexico were the last that the country’s political parties raffled before defining their candidates for the race for the Presidency next year.
With Reuters and local media
