TIJUANA—
Mexico’s ruling party scored big wins across Baja California in Sunday’s historic election, including the race for Tijuana mayor, according to preliminary results.
The Morena party was on track Monday to win several — if not all — mayor races across the state. Ismael Burgueño, 40, the former state leader of the party, was poised to become the city’s next mayor with a strong lead over veteran television journalist Mari Carmen Flores for the PAN.
“Better times are coming for Tijuana, I will not let you down,” Burgueño said in a social media post Monday to his supporters.
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In San Felipe, one of the two municipalities with a first-time mayoral election, the lead was only by a margin of about 1 percent. For local and federal congressional representatives, the party also was leading in all districts.
Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero started her weekly press conference by calling Burgueño to congratulate him — and she did so in front of the media and other officials.
“Can we already congratulate our colleague Burgueño?” Caballero asked someone from her staff as she reached for her cellphone. “It’s important to reassure the citizens that we will have a good transition.”
During the brief conversation, during which Caballero warned him he was on speakerphone in front of the media, she praised him on the early returns.
Burgueño will succeed Caballero after the party did not choose her as its mayoral candidate, despite her desire to be re-elected for another three-year term.
Claudia Agaton Muniz, Ensenada mayoral candidate, left, and Armando Ayala Robles, senator candidate, celebrate Sunday night with Morena party supporters.
(Alejandro Tamayo/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
“We are now turning the page,” she said. “It’s time to work for what we are interested in, which is Tijuana.”
Burgueño thanked her for the gesture and said he was confident that the transition would be done “in a proper way and with a lot of will.”
Morena’s dominance in Baja California mirrored the ruling party’s landslide win for presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum. On Oct. 1, Sheinbaum, the former mayor of Mexico City, will be sworn in as the country’s first female president.
For the Senate, Morena has also a strong lead with their candidate Julieta Ramírez. Jaime Bonilla, a former Baja California governor and senator who was seeking re-election with the Labor’s Party, trailed last, according to preliminary numbers.
Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Avila acknowledged the legislators, both federal and local, who she expected to win the “carro completo,” or the “complete vehicle,” for her party.
Turnout in Baja California was nearly 48 percent, according to data from the state’s electoral institute.
On the other side of the border, hundreds of Mexican nationals voted in person for the first time at the Mexican Consulate in San Diego.
Hundreds of voters wait in line to cast their votes outside the Mexican Consulate in San Diego Sunday. Many voters were not able to vote despite standing in line.
(Alejandro Tamayo/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
While the in-person voting was historic, it drew sharp criticism by the end of Election Day when hundreds still in line were not able to cast their ballots.
The line began forming in the predawn hours outside the consulate’s Little Italy office and quickly wrapped around the block. The enthusiasm of some voters turned to frustration when, despite waiting for hours, they were turned away after 5 p.m. Videos shared by voters show groups of people demanding to vote after the polling station was closed.
About 945 people voted at the Mexican Consulate in San Diego, according to a Mexican official who was not authorized to discuss the numbers publicly.
Officials from the National Electoral Institute, or INE, the autonomous body in charge of elections in Mexico, could not be reached for comment Monday and did not respond to questions to confirm how many people were able to vote in San Diego.
Election day was organized by the INE, not the Mexican Consulate. On the consulate’s Facebook page, officials let some frustrated voters know that they had no involvement.
INE authorities said Sunday morning that the 560 people who registered to vote in person ahead of time had been assured of their votes. But Chula Vista resident Valentín Ramírez said he was registered and still couldn’t vote.
Electoral officials count ballots after polls closed during general elections in Mexico City on Sunday.
(Ginnette Riquelme / Associated Press)
Ramírez, who is also a community organizer, believes the INE underestimated the turnout. “I think we were all surprised by how many people showed up,” he said. “People were very upset because they were in line for six hours and the line wasn’t moving.” Many voters were likely there for the consulate’s 1,500 extra “drop-in” ballots.
The same situation occurred at other Mexican consulates in the United States, according to several media reports.
Arturo Castillo, an INE electoral adviser, said Sunday before the polls closed that the response of Mexicans abroad “far exceeded our expectations.”
