In a twist that could only happen in the world of Latinos, the names of notorious Mexican drug lords Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias 'El Mencho,' and Puerto Rican businesswoman and reality star Maripily Rivera appeared on election ballots over the weekend. Yes, you read that right—these unlikely candidates created a stir in both Mexico and Puerto Rico's recent elections.
The story broke when voters began posting photos on social media, showcasing their unconventional choices among local candidates. These elections coincided with the presidential election in Mexico, where Claudia Sheinbaum emerged victorious, and the primary elections in Puerto Rico.
The digital community was in for a shock as El Chapo, El Mencho, and Maripily found themselves unexpectedly competing, thanks to their enthusiastic fans.
El Chapo and El Mencho: The Unlikely Contenders
One photo from Mexico showed a ballot featuring the name Guzmán Loera, better known as El Chapo. The image was posted by a man sporting a cap emblazoned with the initials IAG (Iván Archivaldo Guzmán) and the slogan "Iván y vienen rumores" (Iván and rumors come and go). Iván Archivaldo, El Chapo's son, is allegedly the leader of the Los Chapitos faction, a major player in fentanyl trafficking to the United States.
In another instance, a voter in Jalisco took a snapshot of a ballot in the 18th electoral district of Autlán de Navarro, where someone cast their vote for Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho," the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). This individual's vote came at the expense of the local deputy candidates.
It's unclear if these voters wrote the names of these drug lords as a form of protest or as a joke, but regardless of their intention, these votes were invalid.
Maripily Rivera: A Surprising Star in Puerto Rico
Meanwhile, in la Isla del Encanto, primary elections were held on Saturday in the lead-up to the general elections in the United States and its territories on November 5.
Puerto Ricans went to the polls to choose candidates representing the New Progressive Party (PNP) and the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). While Puerto Ricans participate in the U.S. elections, they can only vote for their representatives, not the president.
@elnuevodiapr 🗳️ Primarias 2024: así ejercieron su voto algunas figuras políticas. Los centros de votación abrieron sus puertas a las 9:00 a.m. como parte de las primarias del Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) y el Partido Popular Democrático (PPD). #elecciones #primarias #eleccionespuertorico #puertorico #endi #elnuevodia #noticiaspr #noticiaspuertorico
♬ original sound - El Nuevo Día
In a move echoing the Mexican trend, another voter wrote Maripily Rivera's name on the ballot. Television commentators had previously suggested that Rivera could win if she ever ran for office, given her massive support, which catapulted her to the top spot in the fourth season of Telemundo's "La Casa de los Famosos."
Last week, Rivera was greeted by a massive crowd in the streets of Puerto Rico's major cities, showcasing her popularity.
The Official Results: Real Winners Emerge
Despite the playful (or angry) votes for El Chapo, El Mencho, and Maripily Rivera, the official election results were unaffected. In Puerto Rico, the initiative of the voter who wrote Rivera's name was ignored. Instead, Jenniffer González, Puerto Rico's representative in Congress, pulled off a surprising victory over Governor Pedro Pierluisi in the New Progressive Party primaries, a party that supports Puerto Rico's statehood.
On the other side, Jesús Manuel Ortiz defeated Senator Juan Zaragoza in the Popular Democratic Party primaries for the governorship, aiming to return the party to power in the upcoming general elections.
Other political parties in Puerto Rico, such as the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) and the Citizen Victory Movement (MVC), do not hold primaries and will directly compete against the PNP and PPD winners in November's elections.
In Mexico, the massive winner was the ruling party MORENA, which not only won the presidency but Congress and most of the governor positions.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
