Reports of gift card payments feed growing accusations of vote-buying in Mexico’s election

[Karmadillo]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/apparent-winner-of-mexican-presidential-race-faces-struggle-for-support/2012/07/02/gJQAqICPJW_story.html

Reports of gift card payments feed growing accusations of vote-buying in Mexico’s election
By Associated Press, Published: July 2 | Updated: Tuesday, July 3, 6:57 PM

MEXICO CITY — Thousands of people rushed to stores Tuesday to redeem pre-paid gift cards they said were given to them previously by the party that won Mexico’s presidency, inflaming accusations that the weekend election was marred by widespread vote-buying.

At least a few cardholders were angry, complaining that they didn’t get as much as promised or that their cards weren’t working. Neighbors at one store in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Mexico City said the unusually large crowds prevented them from doing their daily shopping.

Under Mexican election law, giving voters gifts is not a crime unless the gift is conditioned on a certain vote or meant to influence a vote. However, the cost of such gifts must be reported, and cannot exceed campaign spending limits. Violations are usually punished with fines, but generally aren’t considered grounds for annulling an election.

Some of the people lined up to use gift cards said they got them for supporting the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, whose Enrique Pena Nieto won Sunday’s presidential election, according to the preliminary official vote count. Some wore red T-shirts and baseball caps with Pena Nieto’s name printed in white.

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