Dave Graham (NYSE)

MEXICO CITY (Reuters – Mexicans vote to decide whether or not their president should remain in office. It is an unusual referendum that he claims will confirm his democratic mandate, but which opposition views as a distracting factor from Mexico’s actual problems.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is a pugnacious leftist president who has been in power since December 2018. He was the man behind the first recall referendum in Mexico. Both critics and his supporters expect him to easily win.

It has been speculated that this vote may allow for the extension of the presidential term limit in a country where the head is only allowed to serve a six-year time period.

Lopez Obrador claims he doesn’t want to prolong his term. However, he used the referendum as an opportunity to rally supporters and to pan the opposition. Many of their leaders encouraged Mexicans not to vote in the referendum, which was a propagandistic exercise by the president.

Although opinion polls indicate that turnout may fall below 40%, Lopez Obrador said that he will still respect the results.

To this end, he stated that if he doesn’t get the support from the people, he can’t govern. A ruler without the support of his people is like an unwashed leaf. For political authority to be effective, one must have moral authority.”

Also, the plebiscite serves as a measure of strength for the president ahead of June’s gubernatorial election.

Lopez Obrador failed to fulfill his campaign promises to reduce violent crime and boost the economy. He also tried to destabilize investors by trying to renegotiate past contracts and tighten state control over natural resources.

However, his rollout of welfare programs has proved to be a success and his constant portrayal of a narrative that shows him as a strong moral defender of the weak against corrupt wealthy elites have helped his popularity.

Mexicans see Lopez Obrador, a folksy Mexican leader, as a refreshing departure from other leaders that were seen as distant and indifferent to the wider population in an unjust society.

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The referendum, which will cost millions and be widely publicized in Mexico City, will determine if Lopez Obrador should be removed from office “due to loss or trust” or if he should continue his term on September 30, 2024.

A poll conducted by El Financiero this month found that two thirds of Mexicans wanted him to continue in his office. He was voted out by one third.

Andrea Miranda (a Mexican bakery worker) said that she wanted the president to end his government. She voted in Lopez Obrador for president in 2018. It’s our first chance to make a decision on it; we must take full advantage.

Lopez Obrador used referendums in order to implement contentious policies. He caused the cancelation of Mexico City’s airport, before even taking office.

President Trump has accused National Electoral Institute (Neopoly Institute) of trying to stymie referendum. It denies this accusation. If voting becomes slow, he has said he would blame the National Electoral Institute.

Lopez Obrador, who won more than 30 million votes in 2018, was elected in a stunning landslide. It is the most significant total of Mexican history. Analysts believe that the success of the referendum is determined by how close it is to reaching this level.

Between 8 a.m. (1300 GMT) and 6 pm local time (3300 GMT), polls can be opened. A preliminary estimation of the outcome is expected to be released by election authorities on that same evening.