Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s relentless verbal attacks on an appealing opposition contender have had an unintended consequence: they’ve inadvertently boosted her popularity while sowing concerns among his own supporters. Senator Xochitl Galvez, a computer engineer with Indigenous heritage and a shrewd political sense, recently announced her candidacy for the presidency. Since then, López Obrador has singled her out over 50 times in his daily press conferences, which has resulted in a surge of public support for Galvez.
Galvez, a business-friendly candidate, has breathed new life into the opposition’s hopes of competing against López Obrador’s party in the search for a successor. However, the president has portrayed her as a candidate of the corrupt elite and has publicly scrutinized her alleged business dealings. This move prompted Galvez to accuse López Obrador of abusing his power.
It’s important to note that Mexican presidents are limited to a single six-year term, and López Obrador’s party, MORENA, is heavily favored to win, as indicated by polls.
In the wake of the attacks, López Obrador’s approval rating has experienced a dip, falling by nearly 3.5 percentage points to 58.4%, according to a tracking poll by Consulta Mitofsky.
Galvez’s humble background, having grown up in poverty and sold jelly on the streets, sets her apart from other presidential contenders within MORENA, such as former Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and ex-foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard. López Obrador has attempted to undermine this narrative by branding Galvez as a millionaire, an approach that has not been well-received by some citizens who believe the president should focus on the public interest rather than attacking rivals.
Galvez has filed a complaint with the electoral authority, accusing López Obrador of breaching impartiality rules. She remains defiant, vowing not to quit despite the president’s attempts to discredit her.
The electoral authority has ordered López Obrador to remain neutral and refrain from making election-related comments. Although he agreed to “pause” such remarks, allusions to Galvez continue to be made by him and his aides.
Some of López Obrador’s loyalists see a similarity between his treatment of Galvez and how he faced challenges as the mayor of the capital from then-president Vicente Fox of the PAN (National Action Party). This case, known as the “desafuero,” saw López Obrador stripped of immunity from prosecution in 2005 over a minor land dispute. Despite the case being dropped later, it resulted in significant protests and boosted López Obrador’s popularity before the 2006 presidential election.
A senior Mexican official, who chose to remain anonymous, remarked that López Obrador might be repeating the mistake Fox made with him by inadvertently elevating Galvez’s prominence and potentially increasing the opposition’s presence in Congress in 2024. This could also overshadow MORENA’s leading contender, Claudia Sheinbaum, in the public eye.
Despite some allies urging López Obrador to refrain from “building up” Galvez, he insists that the public should be aware of her background, from selling jelly to becoming a millionaire.
You can also read: Florida Family Convicted for Selling Toxic Bleach as Fake Covid-19 Cure
Another MORENA politician supporting Sheinbaum emphasized that Galvez’s financial affairs should have remained private and subject to proper authorities. She called for the party to avoid resorting to negative campaigning, as it tends to backfire and puts the targeted candidate in the spotlight.
