Elections in Mexico could have possible impact on Valley, experts say
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Voters in Tamaulipas decided to change the direction their state is going in with a new governor.
With all votes tallied, Americo Villarreal is the state's governor-elect from Mexico’s growing left-leaning Morena party, the same party as Mexico’s president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
Guadalupe Correo Cabrera studies Mexican organized crime at George Mason University. She believes just because Tamaulipas has a new governor-elect from a different political party, that doesn’t mean violence and corruption will go away.
"It's going to be difficult,” Cabrera said. “It's a task that requires a lot of political will. We cannot anticipate anything."
Other experts say President López Obrador's tagline, "Hugs not bullets" could hurt the border state that has been the scene of violence between rival cartels, along with drug and human smuggling and kidnappings.
“Non-confrontation with organized crime, and organized crime slowly will overtake more and more territory throughout the state,” said Tony Payan, a U.S.-Mexico political researcher at Rice University.
Some researchers believe there could be shifts among armed groups while under a new governor. Previous Tamaulipas governors have been charged with corruption and having alliances with drug cartels.
"But, I don't think that Abbott should get his hopes very high up in terms of collaboration from governor-elect Villarreal when he comes into office,” Payan said.
Some experts also recommend that governor-elect Americo Villarreal have a close relationship and communication with his Texan counterpart Greg Abbott.
Analysts say that so much is at stake on the border, including commerce, the economy and security.
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