“I will not fail you,” president-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador told thousands of supporters gathered late last night at Mexico City’s central square, the zócalo.
Speaking after the National Electoral Institute (INE) confirmed his landslide victory by announcing he had won 53% of the vote, López Obrador assured an adoring crowd that he would carry out “all the commitments” he made in the campaign period.
“I’m very aware of my responsibility and I don’t want to go down in history as a bad president,” he said.
The veteran leftist commonly known as AMLO said he had arranged to meet President Enrique Peña Nieto Tuesday and pledged that the transition of power would not disrupt the country’s economic stability.
“We’re going to act respectfully and the transition is going to be orderly so that economic and financial stability is maintained and so that there are no frights . . .” he said.
AMLO also said he would again travel the length and breadth of the country in September — as he did during the campaign for yesterday’s election — pledging that there would be no “divorce” between him and the millions of Mexicans he will represent starting in December.
“It’s going to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people,” he pledged to rapturous applause and shouts of “presidente.”
The former Mexico City mayor who also contested the presidential elections of 2006 and 2012, concluded his victory address by once again pledging that the government he leads will be honest, free from corruption and stick to its word.
“We’re going to apply the three basic principles: don’t lie, don’t steal and don’t betray the people. Viva México!” AMLO said.
At an earlier press conference, López Obrador said that “today is an historic day and a memorable night,” thanked the millions of people who voted for him and called on all Mexicans to come together for the good of the country.
He also reaffirmed that eradicating corruption and impunity “will be the main mission of the new government” and said that energy sector contracts awarded to private companies would be reviewed and if anomalies were found, legal recourse would be sought.
The Morena party leader also sought to dispel fears held in some quarters about how far his administration might go to change the direction of the country.
“We will not act arbitrarily, nor will there be confiscation or expropriation of goods,” he said.
AMLO also pledged to change Mexico’s security strategy and said that his government will attend to “the causes of the violence.”
Before leaving to address the waiting masses in the zócalo, López Obrador told the press conference that “the state will represent the rich and the poor” and people of all sexual preferences.
“But we will give preference to the poorest and most forgotten people, especially the indigenous peoples of Mexico,” he said.
“I will not fail you, I will not disappoint you, I will not betray the people. I want to go down in history as a good president of Mexico. I long with all my soul to elevate the greatness of our homeland, to help to build a better society and to achieve happiness for all Mexicans.”
Source: Milenio (sp)
