Mexico's Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Wins Recall Election; Mexicans Vote AMLO to Stay in Power

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) on Sunday received overwhelming support in the recall elections after the majority of Mexicans voted for him to stay in power.

According to Reuters, 90 percent of Mexicans who voted in the unprecedented elections still want AMLO to stay in office and serve as Mexico's president.

AFP reported that the official preliminary vote count by the National Electoral Institute showed that around 90.3 percent to 91.9 percent want him to remain mounted in the post until 2024, per The Straits Times.

However, Reuters mentioned that the turnout of the recall elections was forecast to be between 17 percent and 18.2 percent, a value which is much lower than the 40 percent threshold that is needed to make a result binding.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador then took to Twitter to express gratitude to his supporters.

"I just finished recording a message about the results of today's consultation. In a few more minutes it will be available. Advance: I love you very much," AMLO underscored.

Mexico Recall Elections: Mexicans Express Thoughts on AMLO as President

On Sunday, Mexicans expressed how they feel about President Manuel Andres Lopez Obrador in the light of the recall elections.

Speaking to Reuters, Tlaxcala voter Guillermina Gomez said that she wants AMLO to continue in power.

"Thanks to him we've received benefits that no one else has given us," Gomez added.

Another voter, Carmen Sobrino, told AFP that she hopes Lopez Obrador would continue in power, claiming that she is happy with the current president of Mexico, per The Straits Times.

Meanwhile, Maribel Rosas said that she voted for AMLO to be removed from the presidency, contending that Lopez Obrador failed to help the middle class in Mexico. Rosas added that the president also encourages social polarization.

The recall elections in Mexico came as Lopez Obrador received an approval rating of 58 percent in March. However, that approval rating is much lower than the one he received in February 2019 amounting to 81 percent, The Straits Times reported, citing a poll from Oraculus firm.

Critics on Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's Mexico Recall Elections

Critics blasted AMLO's recall election, calling it expensive propaganda and a distraction from the challenges that are being faced by Mexico.

Retired teacher Laura Gonzales called the move a useless exercise where the money of Mexico's government was thrown away.

Conservative opposition party PAN member, Marko Cortes, said that the recall election promoted by AMLO was filed with manipulation, lies, illegality, and diversion of public resources.

Mario Delgado, the leader of the ruling party Morena, lauded Lopez Obrador for making himself a subject of recall elections.

"Only an indomitable, unwavering democrat like him can subject himself to a recall process," Delgado said per The Straits Times.

In Mexico, presidents only serve a single six-year term in office. However, BBC reported that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador promised to give voters a chance to unmount him from the presidency halfway through his term, sicne he assumed the role in 2018.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Mexican President Casts His Vote in Recall Referendum - From TeleSUR ENglish