jeremy m. lange

+ projects: - the rise and fall of obrador

In 2006, former Mexico City mayor and populist politician Manuel Lopez Obrador, of the PRD party, ran for president against Felipe Calderon, the candidate from the party of current president Vincente Fox.

Obrador ran on a ticket of increased civil rights for the poor and the indigenous, as well as proposals against NAFTA and US intervention in Mexican affairs.

Although Obrador was ahead by as much as 15% just weeks before the election, he lost in a close and highly contested vote, that required a national recount and was marred by unsubstantiated claims of fraud.

Even after the recount and the national elections board declared Calderon the winner, Obrador and his supporters claimed he was the true victor and tried to use various methods of civil disobedience to disrupt the country and the inauguration of the new President.

To this day, Obrador maintains his claim of victory and stages occasional protests and marches to try and sway a populace that has grown tired of his seemingly neverending campaign.

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A farm building in rural Mexico was painted in support of the candidate. Obrador was a champion of the poor and rural communities across the country.
   
Obrador greets supporters in the city of Cuernavaca. He acheived what could be described as "cult" status and his core supporters would travel hundreds of miles for his rallies.
   
Obrador spoke to supporters in the city of Toluca just days before the election. He acheived what could be described as "cult" status and his core supporters would travel hundreds of miles for his rallies.
     
  
Santa Fe, one of the sprawling Mexico City neighborhoods where Obardor pulled heavy support from the impoverished populace.
   
Obrador spoke to supporters in the city of Toluca just days before the election. He acheived what could be described as "cult" status and his core supporters would travel hundreds of miles for his rallies.
   
A supporter at Obrador's final Mexico City rally before the July 2nd, 2006 elections. Eventhough he had led in the polls, by this time, Obrador and Calderon were locked in a virtual tie in the polls.
     
  
Protesters shattered the windows of the government palace in the main square of the southern cityof Oaxaca and pitched camp at the site. The teachers of Oaxaca went on strike for over 40 days demanding better pay and benefits. On June 14th, the state police raided the encampment in the center of town and were repelled after leaving one child dead and many other wounded. In support, many other social justice groups rallied in support and staged a virtual takeover of the main square in the state's capitol city, just days before the close presidential elections. Obrador was faced with walking the line between support and condemnation of the increasing violence.
   
A young couple meet at the wall that strking teachers erected in the southern city of Oaxaca to keep the police from invading their protest camp in the center of town. The teachers went on strike for over 40 days demanding better pay and benefits. On June 14th, the state police raided the encampment in the center of town and were repelled after leaving one child dead and many other wounded. In support, many other social justice groups rallied in support and staged a virtual takeover of the main square in the state's capitol city, just days before the close presidential elections. Obrador was faced with walking the line between support and condemnation of the increasing violence.
   
Marxist political groups rally in support of the striking teachers in the southern city of Oaxaca. The teachers went on strike for over 40 days demanding better pay and benefits. On June 14th, the state police raided the encampment in the center of town and were repelled after leaving one child dead and many other wounded. In support, many other social justice groups rallied in support and staged a virtual takeover of the main square in the state's capitol city, just days before the close presidential elections. Obrador was faced with walking the line between support and condemnation of the increasing violence.
     
  
Election day in Oaxaca state, where striking teachers had clashed with police and taken over the main square of the capitol city. Obrador tried to stay out of the fray between the governor and the teachers, not wanting to alienate either side as the polls tightened leading up to the election.
   
Marxist political groups rally in support of the striking teachers in the southern city of Oaxaca. The teachers went on strike for over 40 days demanding better pay and benefits. On June 14th, the state police raided the encampment in the center of town and were repelled after leaving one child dead and many other wounded. In support, many other social justice groups rallied in support and staged a virtual takeover of the main square in the state's capitol city, just days before the close presidential elections. Obrador was faced with walking the line between support and condemnation of the increasing violence.
   
Supporters filled the main square in Mexico City on election night. Obrador was scheduled to appear and the rain was not abe to keep the thousands of his fanatical supporters from taking every bit of available space in front of the stage. The tallies were still days away but the candidate claimed victory to his supporters.
     
  
Supporters filled the main square in Mexico City on election night. Obrador was scheduled to appear and the rain was not abe to keep the thousands of his fanatical supporters from taking every bit of available space in front of the stage. The tallies were still days away but the candidate claimed victory to his supporters.
   
Supporters filled the main square in Mexico City on election night. Obrador was scheduled to appear and the rain was not abe to keep the thousands of his fanatical supporters from taking every bit of available space in front of the stage. The tallies were still days away but the candidate claimed victory to his supporters.
   
3 days after the election, with no declared winner, as the official recounting of the ballot sheets was held across town, a local dump was found to have piles of election paraphrenalia that had been thrown away days before. Ballot sheets were allegedly found at another city dump, reigniting claims of fraud and ballot box tampering, long a tradition in Mexican elections.
     
  
As the official recounting of the ballot sheets was held across town, supporters of Mexican presidential candidate Felipe Calderon rallied at the PAN headquarters to show support for their candidate, who was finally elected the next president of Mexico. Even with an early lead in the recount, Obrador's dispute with the vote tallies was turned over and at the end of the count, Calderon was declared the unofficial winner pending the official sanctioning of the recount.
   
On the day of the official inauguration of Felipe Calderon, just months after the still disputed election that left the country split on party lines, Obardor held a rally and march that shutdown the city, bringing hundredsof thousands of supporters to Mexico City to protest what he claimed as fraud and called himself the "legitimate" president of Mexico.
   
On the day of the official inauguration of Felipe Calderon, just months after the still disputed election that left the country split on party lines, Obardor held a rally and march that shutdown the city, bringing hundredsof thousands of supporters to Mexico City to protest what he claimed as fraud and called himself the "legitimate" president of Mexico.
     
  
Police shields block access to a large city park on the edge pf the protest route of defeated candidate Manuel Lopez Obrador. On the day of the official inauguration of Felipe Calderon, just months after the still disputed election that left the country split on party lines, Obardor held a rally and march that shutdown the city, bringing hundredsof thousands of supporters to Mexico City to protest what he claimed as fraud and called himself the "legitimate" president of Mexico.
   
Obrador continues to claim victoryand call himsel the "legitimate" presidnet of Mexico, but his support has waned, even with the previously hardcore supporters that shut down the capitol for weeks in protest.