In early February, National Action Party (PAN) candidate Josefina Vázquez Mota said that she and all of her staff would submit to both polygraph and toxicological tests if she won her party's upcoming nomination (http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/as-pan-primary-campaign-winds-down.html). Vázquez Mota handily took the PAN primary on Feb. 5, capturing about 54% of the approximately 547,000 internal party ballots cast in the three way contest (http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/josefina-vazquez-mota-sweeps-pan.html).
Today Vázquez Mota officially registered with Mexico's federal election commission during a publicly televised ceremony (a routine practice for presidential candidates). Josefina delivered copies of and read aloud her lab reports, which showed no usage of cocaine, opiates, marijuana or other illegal substances. A polygraph test conducted by a licensed examiner indicated that she has had no contact with organized crime, nor is her campaign being financed with dirty money. The tests were voluntary. No law in this country requires submission to such procedures, and the Mexican Supreme Court recently struck down a state statute which would have required them (post below).
Some may diminish the significance or effectiveness of these disclosures, but I think they're important, especially given the history of political corruption in this country.
Neither Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate Enrique Peña Nieto, nor the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) nominee Andrés Manuel López Obrador, have yet indicated whether they and their immediate staffs will submit to similar tests in advance of Mexico's July 1 presidential election.
Update Mar. 18: López Obrador said today that he "accepts the challenge" and will submit to the same battery of tests. Peña Nieto has not commented at all.
Memo to Enique Peña Nieto: Mexico is waiting: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/03/memo-to-enique-pena-nieto-mexico-is.html.
Supreme Court rejects lie detectors, drug tests, psych profiles for candidates: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/02/mexicos-high-court-rejects-lie.html.
Is alleged PRI-narco connection fair game in Mexico's 2012 election?: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/02/is-alleged-pri-narco-connection-fair.html.
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