2006年VOA标准英语-Mexico's Opposition Presidential Candidate Peti

By Catherine Maddux
Washington
10 July 2006

Mexican presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is challenging the results of last week's election. He filed a petition following the very narrow, but apparent victory of his conservative opponent, Felipe Calderon. VOA's Catherine Maddux examines how the disputed poll is likely to affect relations with Mexico's most important neighbor, the United States.

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Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador waves during press conference in Mexico City   
  
Lopez Obrador asked the Federal Election Tribunal to order a manual recount of the votes late Sunday, alleging¹ widespread fraud.

The move followed a massive rally Saturday by Lopez Obrador supporters, who filled the streets of downtown Mexico city by the tens-of-thousands.

They are angry that Felipe Calderon, the candidate of the ruling National Action Party, was declared the winner last week by Mexico's Federal Electoral Institute. Calderon won the vote count by just under a percentage point, less than 244,000 votes.

Despite Lopez Obrador's allegations of voter fraud, European Union election observers have said they found no significant irregularities.

At a recent seminar at the Center for American Progress in Washington, Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign minister of Mexico in the ruling party, said it is clear who won the July 2 election.

Felipe Calderon waves to supporters   
  
"I do not think there is any doubt, nor should there be any doubt, that the winner of the elections is Felipe Calderon," he said. "It is a settled question, in the sense that the votes have been counted twice now already. The advantage for Calderon has been the same in the two votes."

Aside from the internal drama going on over the implications of an electoral fight, the biggest concern among participants at the seminar was how the incoming administration will work with the United States. All agreed that the United States has vital interests in Mexico.

"Take for example, the 40 million Latinos living in the United States, comprising more than 14 percent of the overall population, nearly two-thirds of whom trace their origins to Mexico," said Dan Restrepo, moderator and senior policy director for the Center for American Progress. "By 2040, the percentage of Hispanics in the United States will be more than 25 percent. Two of the top four U.S. suppliers, one of which is Mexico, are from Latin America. "

And he adds the top two U.S. trading partners, one being Mexico, are hemispheric neighbors.

There was also consensus² among the experts that Mexico, except for the immigration issues, does not seem to be high on the agenda of the Bush administration.

Arturo Valenzuela of Georgetown University in Washington argues the fundamental problem is that the United States does not think of Mexico strategically.

"And it makes it very difficult to think of our own [US] interests with regard to Mexico," he said. "Instead of making a ledger³, you know, all the things we need to do in order to pursue our interests in Mexico, we forget about that ledger entirely⁴, and we look at how we can advance our own partial domestic kinds of interests in relationship with Mexico. And there is nothing clearer than the immigration debate to make that point. "

U.S. lawmakers have been heatedly debating immigration reform. The Bush administration wants a new law that would include a guest-worker proposal, under which millions of illegal immigrants would have an opportunity to pursue citizenship⁵ under certain conditions. The Bush proposal would also boost border security with U.S. troops.

Armando Guzman, bureau chief of TV Azteca in Washington underscored that point when describing a press conference held last week by President Bush in Chicago.

"The press conference lasted more than one hour," he said. "And it was centered on foreign policy. And with all this turmoil⁶ and questions not answered fully⁷ yet regarding the Mexican elections, do you know how many questions he got about this issue or Mexico itself? Zero. And, so, this makes me think [about] the way I am asked when I am in Mexico, and people come to me and say, 'What do they say about us in Washington?' And I say, "Nothing!"

Mexican protesters in Zocalo Plaza⁸, July 8, 2008   
  
Meanwhile, opposition⁹ candidate Lopez Obrador is also calling for more street demonstrations¹⁰ in addition to his legal petitions.

It appears the drama of the Mexican elections will go on for some time, because the Federal Electoral Tribunal cannot declare a winner until all legal challenges are resolved. Under Mexican law, they are obligated to review the complaints, but must declare a winner by September 6.

1 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

2 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

3 ledger   

n.总帐，分类帐；帐簿

参考例句：

• The young man bowed his head and bent over his ledger again.那个年轻人点头应诺，然后又埋头写起分类帐。
• She is a real accountant who even keeps a detailed household ledger.她不愧是搞财务的，家庭分类账记得清楚详细。

4 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

5 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

6 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

8 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。