April 11 (UPI) — President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Sunday won a recall referendum he had called for that could have removed him from office for a “loss of trust” before the end of his term.
López Obrador, who was expected to win the referendum he viewed as crucial for Mexican democracy, received criticism ahead of the vote for distracting from “serious problems” by opposition leaders such as Ricardo Anaya.
Critics also feared the referendum could pave the way for removing the presidential term limit, which currently allows for presidents to serve just one six-year term.
The National Electoral Institute (INE) said that preliminary estimates after the vote showed that between 90.3% and 91.9% of voters had said López Obrador should remain in office. However, the INE said that just 18.2% of eligible voters were believed to have participated in the referendum.
López Obrador called the results of the “unprecedented” referendum “historic” in a video message to the people of Mexico, noting it was the first time such a referendum had been carried out in modern Mexico.
“It is a step forward in the purpose of asserting our democracy,” López Obrador said. “We do not have a king in Mexico. There is no oligarchy. It is a democracy and it is the people who rule and it is the people who decide.”
López Obrador said he will continue as president until the end of his term in September 2024 and indicated that he had no intention of extending his term.
“I will never betray you, ever. I will never betray the people of Mexico,” he said as he vowed that his presidency will “continue with the transformation of our country.”
The leftist president has successfully started welfare programs and has been viewed as a leader fighting for the poor against the corrupt establishment. However, he has not been able to deliver on some campaign promises like boosting the economy and reducing crime.
Anaya, who lost the 2018 election to López Obrador, said Monday that the referendum was “a total failure” for the president and his MORENA party.
“Eight out of 10 decided not to vote, not to endorse the farce. MORENA is going out,” Anaya tweeted. “In 2024, we are going to beat them.”
