Election Protests Spark Mexico's Youth Awakening

May 30, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

Mexican youth had been written off, accused of being apathetic and apolitical. Most in Mexico believed young people would sit out the upcoming presidential election, but a growing protest movement -- dubbed Yo Soy 132 -- has galvanized opinion, with thousands taking to the streets in the capital and around the country,changing the perception of the country's youth. Mexico will head to the polls on July 1 for national and local elections, and more than 3.5 million people will be casting their ballots for the first time. The so-called youth vote for those aged 18 to 29 makes up more than 20% of the electorate. If voter turnout is high, it could have a big impact on the election. Al Jazeera's Rachel Levin reports.

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Yo Soy 132

In May 2012 students and other youth, supported by farmers and unionized workers, began protesting against the old long-time ruling party, in opposition from 2000, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), and their presidential candidate Enrique Peña Nieto. Their main targ... Explore this topic

Mexican general election, 2012

A general election was held in Mexico on Sunday, July 1, 2012. Voters went to the polls to elect, on the federal level: ⁕A new President of the Republic to serve a six-year term, replacing former President Felipe Calderón. The current Constitution of Mexico prohibits any type ... Explore this topic

Enrique Peña Nieto

Enrique Peña Nieto is the 57th president of Mexico whose six-year term began in 2012. He is a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party and served as governor of the State of Mexico from 2005 to 2011. Peña Nieto was declared president-elect after the 2012 general electio... Explore this topic

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)

The Institutional Revolutionary Party is a Mexican political party that held power in the country—under a succession of names—for 71 years. The PRI is a member of the Socialist International, as is the rival Party of the Democratic Revolution, making Mexico one of the few nati... Explore this topic

Mexico

Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by t... Explore this topic

Protest

An act of defiance or objection by an individual or group of people. Protests can take many forms: peaceful or violent, direct or indirect, large or small. Protests in the news are often political in nature, as groups of citizens voice their disagreement or dissatisfaction. Pr... Explore this topic

Politics of Mexico

The Politics of Mexico take place in a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic whose government is based on a congressional system, whereby the president of Mexico is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. The fed... Explore this topic

Mexican media

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President of Mexico

The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces. The current President is Enrique Peña Nieto, who took office on December 1, 2012. Currentl... Explore this topic

Censorship

Censorship is the suppression of speech or other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient as determined by a government, media outlet, or other controlling body. It can be done by governments and private organizations or b... Explore this topic

Also See

Yo Soy 132

Mexican general election, 2012

Enrique Peña Nieto