A former presidential candidate and wife of ex-president Felipe Calderón yesterday began the registration of a new political party called México Libre, or Mexico Free.

Longtime politician Margarita Zavala said that neither she nor her husband would use the new party to launch presidential bids in 2024. Instead, México Libre is intended to generate political participation and provide an alternative for like-minded individuals to “organize, deliberate and give themselves heart and soul to the reconstruction of Mexico.”

“What I want is an alternative for men and women who need a path like the one I found [in politics].”

Zavala told the newspaper Milenio that México Libre would respond to new political challenges and would not be a recycled National Action Party, to which she and Calderón belonged for many years.

But it will share some fundamental ideas. While the doors will be open to anyone wishing to participate, the new party will be ideologically center-right:

“It is important to me to point out that extremism is not helpful, and less in times like these — they require clarity, principles, political and economic freedom, laws, human development and sustainability.”

The former candidate reiterated that the party’s leaders would be ordinary people attracted by its ideology.

“This isn’t an alternative for one person; it’s an alternative for thousands.”

Source: Milenio (sp)