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A Profile of Mexico's President-Elect Felipe Calderón
Phoenix, Arizona – “We were an unpretentious family, we did not
have much comfort, but we never lacked anything on the table of our
home, and we were always able to attend school.”
Thus describes his childhood Felipe Calderón Hinojosa − Mexico’s
president-elect . Born on August 18, 1962, in Morelia, the capital city
of the Mexican State of Michoacán, Calderón Hinojosa was born into
a political family. The son of Luis Calderón and María del Carmen
Hinojosa, he was politically active since his early years. He
participated in many political campaigns of his father’s party − the
National Action Party (PAN) − by distributing pamphlets, putting up
posters, and painting walls with campaign’s propaganda. His
involvement would thrust him to become – years later – the Youth
National Secretary of the PAN.
Along a skyrocketing political career, Calderón Hinojosa obtained a
bachelor’s degree in Law from the Escuela Libre de Derecho in
Mexico City, and a Masters degree in economics from the Instituto
Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM.) He would complement his
education by receiving a Masters in Public Administration from the
Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 1995 he
unsuccessfully ran for governor of his native Michoacán. He was
elected President of the National Executive Committee − the highest
rank in his party, a position he held from 1996 to 1999. He was also
a local representative in the Legislative Assembly and in the federal
Chamber of Deputies for two terms.
Felipe Calderon’s political dimension expanded significantly when
Vicente Fox was elected president in 2000. His first appointed
position in the Fox administration was Director of Banobras, a
national bank specialized in providing financing and technical
assistance for infrastructure or public works projects for state and
county governments. Later he was appointed Secretary of Energy.
Up until then, Calderón’s likelihood to become the presidential
candidate for the PAN was slim. However, he resigned that position
to object President Fox’s criticism to his expressed presidential
aspirations. Fox was inclined toward his Secretary of Interior,
Santiago Creel, succeeding him in office.
Nevertheless, party members chose Felipe Calderón as their
presidential aspirant, and he became the official candidate after
winning primary elections against Creel, and Alberto Cárdenas, a
former governor, and another aspiring pre-candidate. Calderón
accepted his party’s nomination on December of 2005, and
immediately began his campaign on New Year’s Day 2006.
Initially, Calderón lacked popularity and presence, but after the first
presidential debate, his campaign gained momentum. Little more
than three months after the commence of his presidential campaign,
his popularity significantly increased, placing him, according to the
polls, ahead of former Mexico’s City Mayor − and much popular −
Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Calderón was able to sustain this
advantage for about two months, before his lead declined right after
the second presidential debate, when López Obrador presented
serious accusations against him. Close-to-the-election polls predicted
a very tight election outcome; some placed López Obrador ahead of
the race, and other polls favored Calderón Hinojosa. The polls
projected a trend that characterized the close and disputed results.
On July 2nd, millions of Mexican citizens throughout the nation
showed up to vote in record numbers , expecting to know by day’s
end who would be their next president. The historic voter’s turnout
was shadowed when the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) announced
that the race was too close to call. IFE officials declined to make
public the results of a sophisticated exit poll. Against the IFE’s
wishes, both Calderón and Lopez Obrador claimed victory that night
on national television. On Monday morning July 3rd, unofficial election
results provided by the Program of Preliminary Electoral Results
(PREP) presented Felipe Calderón as having a slight lead with 1.04%.
Three days later, the IFE presented their official count. By an
unbelievable narrow edge − 0.58% − over López Obrador, Felipe
Calderón was the winner of the election. The close margin, and
allegations of irregularities in many polling posts, prompted López
Obrador and his party coalition to demand a national recount. At the
end, the highest electoral authority in Mexico, the Federal Electoral
Tribunal, rejected a full recount, only allowing 9.07% of the polling
stations. Two months later, on September 5th, Felipe Calderón was
ratified as the new president-elect with a lead of only 233,831
(0.56%) votes more than López Obrador.
have much comfort, but we never lacked anything on the table of our
home, and we were always able to attend school.”
Thus describes his childhood Felipe Calderón Hinojosa − Mexico’s
president-elect . Born on August 18, 1962, in Morelia, the capital city
of the Mexican State of Michoacán, Calderón Hinojosa was born into
a political family. The son of Luis Calderón and María del Carmen
Hinojosa, he was politically active since his early years. He
participated in many political campaigns of his father’s party − the
National Action Party (PAN) − by distributing pamphlets, putting up
posters, and painting walls with campaign’s propaganda. His
involvement would thrust him to become – years later – the Youth
National Secretary of the PAN.
Along a skyrocketing political career, Calderón Hinojosa obtained a
bachelor’s degree in Law from the Escuela Libre de Derecho in
Mexico City, and a Masters degree in economics from the Instituto
Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM.) He would complement his
education by receiving a Masters in Public Administration from the
Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 1995 he
unsuccessfully ran for governor of his native Michoacán. He was
elected President of the National Executive Committee − the highest
rank in his party, a position he held from 1996 to 1999. He was also
a local representative in the Legislative Assembly and in the federal
Chamber of Deputies for two terms.
Felipe Calderon’s political dimension expanded significantly when
Vicente Fox was elected president in 2000. His first appointed
position in the Fox administration was Director of Banobras, a
national bank specialized in providing financing and technical
assistance for infrastructure or public works projects for state and
county governments. Later he was appointed Secretary of Energy.
Up until then, Calderón’s likelihood to become the presidential
candidate for the PAN was slim. However, he resigned that position
to object President Fox’s criticism to his expressed presidential
aspirations. Fox was inclined toward his Secretary of Interior,
Santiago Creel, succeeding him in office.
Nevertheless, party members chose Felipe Calderón as their
presidential aspirant, and he became the official candidate after
winning primary elections against Creel, and Alberto Cárdenas, a
former governor, and another aspiring pre-candidate. Calderón
accepted his party’s nomination on December of 2005, and
immediately began his campaign on New Year’s Day 2006.
Initially, Calderón lacked popularity and presence, but after the first
presidential debate, his campaign gained momentum. Little more
than three months after the commence of his presidential campaign,
his popularity significantly increased, placing him, according to the
polls, ahead of former Mexico’s City Mayor − and much popular −
Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Calderón was able to sustain this
advantage for about two months, before his lead declined right after
the second presidential debate, when López Obrador presented
serious accusations against him. Close-to-the-election polls predicted
a very tight election outcome; some placed López Obrador ahead of
the race, and other polls favored Calderón Hinojosa. The polls
projected a trend that characterized the close and disputed results.
On July 2nd, millions of Mexican citizens throughout the nation
showed up to vote in record numbers , expecting to know by day’s
end who would be their next president. The historic voter’s turnout
was shadowed when the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) announced
that the race was too close to call. IFE officials declined to make
public the results of a sophisticated exit poll. Against the IFE’s
wishes, both Calderón and Lopez Obrador claimed victory that night
on national television. On Monday morning July 3rd, unofficial election
results provided by the Program of Preliminary Electoral Results
(PREP) presented Felipe Calderón as having a slight lead with 1.04%.
Three days later, the IFE presented their official count. By an
unbelievable narrow edge − 0.58% − over López Obrador, Felipe
Calderón was the winner of the election. The close margin, and
allegations of irregularities in many polling posts, prompted López
Obrador and his party coalition to demand a national recount. At the
end, the highest electoral authority in Mexico, the Federal Electoral
Tribunal, rejected a full recount, only allowing 9.07% of the polling
stations. Two months later, on September 5th, Felipe Calderón was
ratified as the new president-elect with a lead of only 233,831
(0.56%) votes more than López Obrador.
By Barriozona Staff November 30, 2006
| Hispanic Institute of Social Issues © 2006-2011 All rights reserved. webmaster@hisi.org |
Felipe Calderón Hinojosa's political
dimension expanded significantly
when Vicente Fox was elected
president in 2000.
Photo: William Gonzalez | View Gallery
dimension expanded significantly
when Vicente Fox was elected
president in 2000.
Photo: William Gonzalez | View Gallery
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Felipe Calderón Hinojosa. Born on August 18, 1962 in the city of
Morelia, Michoacan, in Mexico. He is a Catholic Conservative Mexican
politician, and president-elect. A former president of his party and
former Secretary of Energy in the cabinet of President Vicente Fox.
He received a bachelor's degree in law from the Escuela Libre de
Derecho in Mexico City, has a master's degree in economics from the
Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) and has a master's
degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of
Government at Harvard University. He was president of his party's
youth movement in his early twenties. He was also a federal
representative in the Legislative Assembly, and on two different
occasions in the Chamber of Deputies. He ran for the governorship of
Michoacan in 1995 and served as national president of the PAN from
1996 to 1999. During this period, his party maintained control of 14
Mexican states capitals. He is married to Margarita Zavala; they have
three children.
Morelia, Michoacan, in Mexico. He is a Catholic Conservative Mexican
politician, and president-elect. A former president of his party and
former Secretary of Energy in the cabinet of President Vicente Fox.
He received a bachelor's degree in law from the Escuela Libre de
Derecho in Mexico City, has a master's degree in economics from the
Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) and has a master's
degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of
Government at Harvard University. He was president of his party's
youth movement in his early twenties. He was also a federal
representative in the Legislative Assembly, and on two different
occasions in the Chamber of Deputies. He ran for the governorship of
Michoacan in 1995 and served as national president of the PAN from
1996 to 1999. During this period, his party maintained control of 14
Mexican states capitals. He is married to Margarita Zavala; they have
three children.
Bio
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