Francisco Arellano-Belloc
Encyclopedia
Francisco Arellano-Belloc (June 2, 1940 – January 19, 1994) was an influential Mexican
politician
. He served as Secretary of Press
. On May 5, 1989, he and other leading center-left and leftist politicians formally founded the Party of the Democratic Revolution
(PRD
). He was politically aligned with Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas
Solórzano, the son of President Lázaro Cárdenas
.
His daughter, Alejandra Arellano-Belloc (Alexa Thurman) is a banker with Wall Street Mortgage Bankers in California
. His daughter Claudia Arellano-Belloc is a radio
and television
personality in Mexico City
where his son Francisco Arellano-Belloc Jimenez also lives.
In 1987, he and other politicians from the PRI announced the creation of the Corriente Democrática (Democratic Current) within the party to discuss a change in the process traditionally used to nominate the PRI's candidate for the presidency (there was an extralegal rule called el dedazo as the "right" by which the incumbent
president picked his successor. The expression is a reference to the action of pointing with a finger to the successor). Some left the Current and the supporters of Cárdenas were ostracized and expelled from the PRI.
On July 6, 1988, the day of the elections, a system
shutdown that the government
was using to count the votes occurred, presumably by accident. The government stated that the system crashed ("se cayó el sistema"). When the system was finally restored, Carlos Salinas
was declared the official winner. Even though the elections were extremely controversial, and some declare that Salinas won legally, the expression "se cayó el sistema" became a colloquial euphemism
for electoral fraud
. It was the first time in 59 years, from the creation of PRI to that point (1929-1988), that the winning of the presidency by that party was in doubt, and the citizens of Mexico realized that PRI could lose.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served as Secretary of Press
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
. On May 5, 1989, he and other leading center-left and leftist politicians formally founded the Party of the Democratic Revolution
Party of the Democratic Revolution
The Party of the Democratic Revolution is a democratic socialist party in Mexico and one of 2 Mexican affiliates of the Socialist International...
(PRD
PRD
-Political parties:*Partido Renovador Democrático, a political party in Angola*Parti de Renouveau Démocratique, a political party in Benin*Partido Revolucionario Dominicano, a political party in the Dominican Republic...
). He was politically aligned with Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano is a prominent Mexican politician. He was a former Head of Government of the Federal District and a founder of the Party of the Democratic Revolution .-Biography:...
Solórzano, the son of President Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.-Early life:Lázaro Cárdenas was born on May 21, 1895 in a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family from age 16 after the death of his father...
.
His daughter, Alejandra Arellano-Belloc (Alexa Thurman) is a banker with Wall Street Mortgage Bankers in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. His daughter Claudia Arellano-Belloc is a radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
personality in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
where his son Francisco Arellano-Belloc Jimenez also lives.
In 1987, he and other politicians from the PRI announced the creation of the Corriente Democrática (Democratic Current) within the party to discuss a change in the process traditionally used to nominate the PRI's candidate for the presidency (there was an extralegal rule called el dedazo as the "right" by which the incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
president picked his successor. The expression is a reference to the action of pointing with a finger to the successor). Some left the Current and the supporters of Cárdenas were ostracized and expelled from the PRI.
On July 6, 1988, the day of the elections, a system
System
System is a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole....
shutdown that the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
was using to count the votes occurred, presumably by accident. The government stated that the system crashed ("se cayó el sistema"). When the system was finally restored, Carlos Salinas
Carlos Salinas
Carlos Salinas de Gortari is a Mexican economist and politician affiliated to the Institutional Revolutionary Party who served as President of Mexico from 1988 to 1994. Earlier in his career he worked in the Budget Secretariat all the way up to Secretary...
was declared the official winner. Even though the elections were extremely controversial, and some declare that Salinas won legally, the expression "se cayó el sistema" became a colloquial euphemism
Euphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
for electoral fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
. It was the first time in 59 years, from the creation of PRI to that point (1929-1988), that the winning of the presidency by that party was in doubt, and the citizens of Mexico realized that PRI could lose.