International
Candidates in Mexico face the last debate without mobilizing the undecided and between insults
The candidates for the Presidency of the opposition in Mexico, Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Máynez, will have in the third and last presidential debate on Sunday their last chance to shorten the distance with the ruling party, Claudia Sheinbaum, who has led all the polls from the beginning.
This is portrayed by the specialists consulted this Saturday by EFE, Palmira Tapia and Miguel Tovar, who agree to mention, a day before the last confrontation, the bulk of people undecided about who to vote, a figure that, according to the Poligrama survey at the end of April, reaches 6.9%.
“There may be more discussion sessions and the compass still does not move is because something important in terms of information and how it is presented is still not forceful,” the political scientist acknowledges.
In addition, he points out that some polling houses are not treating the situation “neither professionally nor as a democratic exercise.”
In his opinion, some companies “redined” the representation of the undecided in their polls, in a context of urgency on the part of the candidacies to “have data very quickly and at hand.”
The analyst warns that, at this point, “it is difficult to think” that there are “very expectant” layers of population for knowing the proposals of the candidacies: “A good part of these undecided are people who, in plain, are not going to vote.”
Therefore, and since “not being a competitive choice” due to the wide distance in the polls between the two main candidates, he considers that the parties will not be dedicated to mobilizing these people.
Tapia predicts a Gálvez, standard-bearer of the coalition between the National Action Party (PAN), the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the Democratic Revolution (PRD), “even more combative”, because the strategy “worked” in the previous debate and “misplaced” Sheinbaum.
“The second debate was more interesting than the first because we saw more contrast of ideas, but also more personal disqualifications, which this is something that attracts the media,” he says.
He believes that this last confrontation, which will be held at the Tlatelolco University Cultural Center, “will be more of this type,” since it is the “last chance” of the opponent to win votes, an opinion that Tovar shares.
Although it clarifies: “Hardly, we will see a different sphin from the one we have seen with ‘you have no heart.’”
The political scientist speculates about the possibility that the applicant of the also opposition Movimiento Ciudadano (MC), Jorge Álvarez Máynez, will depose Gálvez in the second position on June 2.
“The novelty we have is that (…) it seems that it is being attractive to younger people,” he says.
For this last debate, he could combine “some blows” towards his opponents with the image of “candidate of proposals.”
In this sense, Tovar calls it a “meme of politics,” for his song “Presidente Máynez” and “the occurrences” that he has offered in the campaign, and predicts him “a filling profile.”
Despite the climate of apparent tranquility, Tapia recalls that the topics that the debate will address, such as violence and organized crime, are of high tension.
“It is so important that Gálvez has tried to take the issue of security as a flag for his campaign,” he says, and recalls the proposal for a mega-prison that the candidate launched at the start of the electoral race.
“On the side of Sheinbaum, it seems to me that she also has a challenge before her: to defend the position of the president (Andrés Manuel López Obrador) in this matter, (…) but also honoring what she did in Mexico City as Head of Government,” he analyzes.
And, in the lectern of Máynez, he predicts some “very progressive” proposals in this area, since he has positioned himself “against the alleged militarization” of Mexico.
For Tovar, one of the few “more or less different” things left by the triad of debates is MC’s ability to articulate communication campaigns.
“The gentlemen and ladies of MC are great for marketing, to make these yingles so sticky,” he smiles.
International
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
The Chinese government emphasized on Monday the importance of “creating the conditions to return to the proper path of dialogue” between Iran and Israel, which have exchanged attacks in recent days resulting in more than 20 Israeli and over 220 Iranian deaths.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed deep concern at a press conference over the Israeli attacks on Iran and the “sudden escalation” of the military conflict.
Guo called on all parties to “take immediate measures to ease tensions and prevent the region from descending into further turmoil,” stating that “force cannot bring lasting peace.”
“If the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify or even expand, the countries of the Middle East will be the first to suffer the consequences,” he added, while noting that China “will continue to maintain communication with the relevant parties, promoting peace and dialogue.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke last Saturday with his Iranian and Israeli counterparts to condemn the Israeli airstrike on Iranian territory, which he described as a “violation of international law” with the potential to trigger “disastrous” consequences.
In both calls, Wang reiterated China’s rejection of the use of force, defended diplomacy as the only solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute, and offered China’s mediation to prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.
International
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Sunday the arrest of Vance Luther Boelter, 57, the main suspect in the killing of Democratic legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband in a Brooklyn Park suburb on Friday night.
Boelter, who also reportedly shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife early Saturday morning, was apprehended in Sibley County following an intensive manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers.
In a public statement, Governor Walz condemned Boelter’s “unthinkable actions,” which resulted in the death of a woman who “shaped the core of who we are as a state.”
“We cannot become numb to this. We are a deeply divided nation,” Walz said in a statement posted on his X account.
“We move forward not with hatred or violence, but with humility, grace, and civility,” he added.
Expressing solidarity with the victims’ families, Walz said the entire state of Minnesota is in mourning. He also thanked law enforcement for their bravery and professionalism: “They have saved lives,” he emphasized.
“As we heal, we will not let fear win,” Walz concluded. “We must honor Melissa by moving forward with understanding, service, and above all, humanity.”
Throughout Sunday, police and sheriff units searched a rural area in Minnesota for Vance Luther Boelter, a security company director and preacher who, according to Governor Walz, acted out of politically motivated violence.
International
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
Approximately 40,000 tourists are stranded in Israel following the closure of the country’s airspace amid escalating hostilities with Iran, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported on Monday.
The ministry has set up a virtual office to provide information via email (virtual@goisrael.gov.il) and phone (+972-53-583-5808), as well as a Facebook page called Israel Virtual Tourist Office.
Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz is in contact with hotels and accommodations across the country to offer support to tourists in need, the ministry added.
Many stranded travelers are considering crossing overland into Jordan or Egypt to seek flights from those countries. The Israel Airports Authority reminded the public that land border crossings remain open.
Three German tourists stranded in Jerusalem told EFE today that they have not received any assistance from their country’s embassy in Israel, and their primary option currently is to cross into Jordan to catch a flight from there.
Since early Friday morning, Israel launched operations against Iran, targeting military personnel and infrastructure, including energy and nuclear facilities, as well as numerous residential areas in Tehran.
In response, Iran has fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which have struck various locations across the country, leaving at least 24 dead so far, according to Israeli authorities.
Iranian health officials report at least 224 deaths, mostly civilians, including at least 17 senior military officials—nine from the Revolutionary Guard—and more than a dozen nuclear scientists.
The Israeli military has warned that many more “targets” remain, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared on Monday that it will continue missile attacks against Israel until its “destruction.”
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
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