Home

Trump congratulates new leftist Mexico leader

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
Reading Time: 2 minutes

US President Donald Trump on Saturday congratulated Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on his landslide victory in Mexico’s presidential vote, saying he looks “very much forward to working” with the anti-establishment leftist.

“There is much to be done that will benefit both the United States and Mexico!” tweeted the US Republican leader, whose anti-trade, anti-immigration policies have plunged bilateral ties between the neighbors to a historic low. Leftist ‘AMLO’ sweeps to Mexican presidency.

According to exit polls, the sharp-tongued, silver-haired politician known as “AMLO” won by a large margin over his two main rivals, who both conceded defeat shortly after the polls closed — laying to rest concerns that a deeply divided country could face prolonged uncertainty over the winner.

“I recognize his victory and express my congratulations, and I wish him the greatest of success, for the good of Mexico,” said runner-up Ricardo Anaya, who ran for a coalition led by his conservative National Action Party (PAN).

Jose Antonio Meade of the coalition led by the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) said the leftist had “won the majority,” adding: “I wish Andres Manuel the greatest of success.”

It is a major shift in Mexican politics: the PRI and PAN have governed for nearly a century, and Lopez Obrador will be the country’s first leftist president in recent history.

Three polling firms gave the former Mexico City mayor the win. Newspaper El Financiero’s exit poll gave him 49% of the vote to 27% for Anaya and 18% for Meade.

Polling firms Mitofsky and the Strategic Communications Cabinet announced broadly similar results.

 

Author

MOST READ