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| El Bronco: Blunt, Frequently Obscene, and Aiming to Run Nuevo León | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MONTERREY, Mexico — He goes by the nickname El Bronco, and he aims to buck the political system in Mexico. | MONTERREY, Mexico — He goes by the nickname El Bronco, and he aims to buck the political system in Mexico. |
| For the first time since a constitutional change in Mexico in 2012 allowing independent candidates, one is making a serious run for governor. And the political world is eager to see if he upsets the entrenched order, not just in his state but also in a nation increasingly frustrated and exhausted by the status quo. | For the first time since a constitutional change in Mexico in 2012 allowing independent candidates, one is making a serious run for governor. And the political world is eager to see if he upsets the entrenched order, not just in his state but also in a nation increasingly frustrated and exhausted by the status quo. |
| It also helps that the insurgent comes in the form of Jaime Rodríguez Calderón, 57, a cursing former mayor and rancher in cowboy hat and boots who wants to run Nuevo León, a large state along the Texas border that is a hub for big business as well as organized crime. | It also helps that the insurgent comes in the form of Jaime Rodríguez Calderón, 57, a cursing former mayor and rancher in cowboy hat and boots who wants to run Nuevo León, a large state along the Texas border that is a hub for big business as well as organized crime. |
| Mr. Rodríguez, in interviews and on the campaign trail, veers from humility to arrogance, calling himself a simple, unvarnished rancher while making it clear, over and over, that he has the fortitude — he uses an anatomically vulgar synonym — to set things right. | Mr. Rodríguez, in interviews and on the campaign trail, veers from humility to arrogance, calling himself a simple, unvarnished rancher while making it clear, over and over, that he has the fortitude — he uses an anatomically vulgar synonym — to set things right. |
| “We are about to make history,” he said in an interview on Thursday as he prepared for the final dash to the June 7 state and local elections. “We are about to prove to people that in this country you don’t need money or parties, you just need people to change things around.” | “We are about to make history,” he said in an interview on Thursday as he prepared for the final dash to the June 7 state and local elections. “We are about to prove to people that in this country you don’t need money or parties, you just need people to change things around.” |
| His strong showing in the polls, a campaign built largely on social media exposure and his blunt, obscenity-laced talk (he suggested to reporters that former President Felipe Calderón must have been inebriated when he recently insulted him at a campaign stop) have made people take notice and wonder if the main established parties are under threat. | His strong showing in the polls, a campaign built largely on social media exposure and his blunt, obscenity-laced talk (he suggested to reporters that former President Felipe Calderón must have been inebriated when he recently insulted him at a campaign stop) have made people take notice and wonder if the main established parties are under threat. |
| Never mind that he had a career of more than 30 years with the granddaddy of them all, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, known as the P.R.I., which controls the presidency and several states. | Never mind that he had a career of more than 30 years with the granddaddy of them all, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, known as the P.R.I., which controls the presidency and several states. |
| Mr. Rodríguez is now running outside and against the machinery. He said he did not just break up with the P.R.I., “I puked it up.” | Mr. Rodríguez is now running outside and against the machinery. He said he did not just break up with the P.R.I., “I puked it up.” |
| At his rallies, there are no giveaways of T-shirts, hats, food or other goods, standard practice in Mexican campaigns at all levels. And he said he had spent only $3 million of a federally imposed $5 million spending cap for independent candidates, instead relying heavily on grass-roots campaigning and his Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts to get his message out. | At his rallies, there are no giveaways of T-shirts, hats, food or other goods, standard practice in Mexican campaigns at all levels. And he said he had spent only $3 million of a federally imposed $5 million spending cap for independent candidates, instead relying heavily on grass-roots campaigning and his Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts to get his message out. |
| “Whether he wins or not,” said Miguel Treviño, an anticorruption activist in Monterrey, Nuevo León’s largest city, “this election will go down in history as a case study: the country’s first important election where social media plays a key role in communication strategy, without the support of the largest TV networks, and a campaign without the formal political party structure.” | “Whether he wins or not,” said Miguel Treviño, an anticorruption activist in Monterrey, Nuevo León’s largest city, “this election will go down in history as a case study: the country’s first important election where social media plays a key role in communication strategy, without the support of the largest TV networks, and a campaign without the formal political party structure.” |
| Luis Carlos Ugalde, a political analyst who is a former federal election commissioner, said a strong showing by Mr. Rodríguez might open the door to a viable independent candidate in the next presidential election, in 2018. | Luis Carlos Ugalde, a political analyst who is a former federal election commissioner, said a strong showing by Mr. Rodríguez might open the door to a viable independent candidate in the next presidential election, in 2018. |
| “This is an external shock to the political system,” Mr. Ugalde said. “For the first time they will have to consider the frustration that is out there. Marches and demonstrations don’t really have an effect. It’s business as usual. But losing in Nuevo León would powerfully call their attention. A triumph by El Bronco would be an important symbol.” | “This is an external shock to the political system,” Mr. Ugalde said. “For the first time they will have to consider the frustration that is out there. Marches and demonstrations don’t really have an effect. It’s business as usual. But losing in Nuevo León would powerfully call their attention. A triumph by El Bronco would be an important symbol.” |
| In recent years, piecemeal political changes have been taking shape in Mexico to strengthen its democracy and ward off the authoritarianism that dominated during seven decades of P.R.I. rule, before its presidential election loss in 2000. The move in 2012 to allow independent candidates was part of that. | In recent years, piecemeal political changes have been taking shape in Mexico to strengthen its democracy and ward off the authoritarianism that dominated during seven decades of P.R.I. rule, before its presidential election loss in 2000. The move in 2012 to allow independent candidates was part of that. |
| Recent polls show faith and confidence in the major political parties at an all-time low, after a series of corruption scandals and gang violence, such as the abduction and killing of 43 teaching students last fall in the rural state of Guerrero. | Recent polls show faith and confidence in the major political parties at an all-time low, after a series of corruption scandals and gang violence, such as the abduction and killing of 43 teaching students last fall in the rural state of Guerrero. |
| Win or lose, Mr. Rodríguez’s campaign has been entertaining. | Win or lose, Mr. Rodríguez’s campaign has been entertaining. |
| Anyone who criticizes him is a “prude,” or something unprintable in a family newspaper. In fact, when he gets going, not much of what he says is printable, and he makes no apologies about it, either. | Anyone who criticizes him is a “prude,” or something unprintable in a family newspaper. In fact, when he gets going, not much of what he says is printable, and he makes no apologies about it, either. |
| “This is just how I speak, as everyone does in the north of the country,” he said. “People from other parts of the country are too formal and square and do not understand it. Here, we curse even when confessing to priests.” | “This is just how I speak, as everyone does in the north of the country,” he said. “People from other parts of the country are too formal and square and do not understand it. Here, we curse even when confessing to priests.” |
| Mr. Rodríguez has been a rancher most of his life and stumbled into politics, he said, when he was 20 and began working for the governor at the time. | Mr. Rodríguez has been a rancher most of his life and stumbled into politics, he said, when he was 20 and began working for the governor at the time. |
| He held a number of political positions before running for mayor of García, a farming suburb of Monterrey, in 2009 to kick out drug gangs. | He held a number of political positions before running for mayor of García, a farming suburb of Monterrey, in 2009 to kick out drug gangs. |
| At the start of that campaign, he said, his 2-year-old daughter was briefly kidnapped by criminals, but he did not report it to the police out of fear of reprisals; there is no way to verify his account. After he was elected, his 22-year-old son disappeared and was found dead seven days later; he suspects that it was part of a kidnapping. | At the start of that campaign, he said, his 2-year-old daughter was briefly kidnapped by criminals, but he did not report it to the police out of fear of reprisals; there is no way to verify his account. After he was elected, his 22-year-old son disappeared and was found dead seven days later; he suspects that it was part of a kidnapping. |
| Mr. Rodríguez took on the gangs through social media, urging residents to report problems on Twitter and Facebook, with Mr. Rodríguez directing the police to address them. He said gangs had opened fire on his car on a couple of occasions, an account supported by some news reports. | Mr. Rodríguez took on the gangs through social media, urging residents to report problems on Twitter and Facebook, with Mr. Rodríguez directing the police to address them. He said gangs had opened fire on his car on a couple of occasions, an account supported by some news reports. |
| He has taken that folk hero reputation to his current campaign, focusing on social media to spread the word and using eye-catching Internet advertising. | He has taken that folk hero reputation to his current campaign, focusing on social media to spread the word and using eye-catching Internet advertising. |
| In one spot, he is depicted as a “lucha libre,” a Mexican wrestling hero battling the main political parties: “In this corner, we have impunity, deceit, corruption and evil. ... ” | In one spot, he is depicted as a “lucha libre,” a Mexican wrestling hero battling the main political parties: “In this corner, we have impunity, deceit, corruption and evil. ... ” |
| His opponents have taken him to task as a frivolous candidate with few real proposals. One suggested that he had a history of domestic violence, which Mr. Rodríguez denies. | His opponents have taken him to task as a frivolous candidate with few real proposals. One suggested that he had a history of domestic violence, which Mr. Rodríguez denies. |
| Mr. Calderón, the former president, said Mr. Rodríguez was a dangerous radical in the mold of Hugo Chávez, the late Venezuelan president and hero of the left. | Mr. Calderón, the former president, said Mr. Rodríguez was a dangerous radical in the mold of Hugo Chávez, the late Venezuelan president and hero of the left. |
| One opponent, José Maria Elizondo, from a small party, said in a recent ribald debate: “Eight months ago you resigned from the P.R.I., and now you think in eight months you are purified? That’s not right. There is a great worry over what your government could be.” | One opponent, José Maria Elizondo, from a small party, said in a recent ribald debate: “Eight months ago you resigned from the P.R.I., and now you think in eight months you are purified? That’s not right. There is a great worry over what your government could be.” |
| The P.R.I. candidate, Ivonne Álvarez, has largely sought to stay above the fray, but national party leaders have questioned Mr. Rodríguez over property holdings they believe he has failed to disclose. Those arguments fell flat on social media, considering that the P.R.I. standard-bearer, President Enrique Peña Nieto, has been questioned over houses built for his family and a cabinet minister by a government contractor. | The P.R.I. candidate, Ivonne Álvarez, has largely sought to stay above the fray, but national party leaders have questioned Mr. Rodríguez over property holdings they believe he has failed to disclose. Those arguments fell flat on social media, considering that the P.R.I. standard-bearer, President Enrique Peña Nieto, has been questioned over houses built for his family and a cabinet minister by a government contractor. |
| But Mr. Rodríguez presses on. | But Mr. Rodríguez presses on. |
| As for solutions to the state’s economic and crime problems, Mr. Rodríguez keeps it vague, saying he will appoint smart, educated advisers. “We’ll figure it out as it goes,” he said in the interview. “We’ll try new things.” | As for solutions to the state’s economic and crime problems, Mr. Rodríguez keeps it vague, saying he will appoint smart, educated advisers. “We’ll figure it out as it goes,” he said in the interview. “We’ll try new things.” |
| Many voters seem charmed. | Many voters seem charmed. |
| “He comes here and speaks that rudely and cursing, and he shouldn’t do that, but at the same time, who are we kidding?” said Jessica Guzman, 30, who attended a recent rally. “That is the language we really understand.” | “He comes here and speaks that rudely and cursing, and he shouldn’t do that, but at the same time, who are we kidding?” said Jessica Guzman, 30, who attended a recent rally. “That is the language we really understand.” |