Madrazo returns to Mexican politics

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Ten months was apparently enough time for Roberto Madrazo to shrug off his humiliating third-place defeat in Mexico’s presidential election and return to the public spotlight. Or try to, anyway.

He’s written a 301-page book is titled, ‘Treason,’ or ‘Treachery,’ depending on how you translate La Traicion. He met with reporters at the Nikko Hotel Tuesday to tout the book, and he was charming and talkative as he tried out a new role as an elder statesman in Mexico’s former ruling party, known as the PRI.

‘Renewal of the party is urgent,’ said Madrazo, a former governor and party president who was himself known as a PRI dinosaur.

Madrazo, a career politician, gave two reasons why he lost the 2006 election, which takes up a third of the book:

He said he was betrayed by the wily head of the national teacher’s union, Elba Esther Gordillo, after the two former allies had a falling out; and by the PRI governors who yanked their support because they allegedly thought they’d get along better with Felipe Calderon, the conservative PAN party candidate who won.

Of course, a lot of voters didn’t trust Madrazo, either, according to polls last year. He amassed a fortune while ostensibly spending a lifetime on the public payroll.

The Q&A-style book, required reading for Mexico political junkies, can be purchased online at Planeta’s website.

Bloggers such as enigmatario and voz independiente are pouncing on the book excerpts.

Posted by Sam Enriquez in Mexico City