The most competitive presidential race in Mexico's modern history turned wilder with the sudden cancellation of a pivotal debate that was scheduled for Tuesday night. The debate was expected to feature the top three candidates, but was called off late Saturday night after negotiators failed to agree on a format. On Monday representatives of the candidates met again to see if they could salvage the event, which would have been the second televised debate held during this country's contentious race for president. The collapse of the debate was another example of the tense, unpredictable nature of this high-stakes campaign. This is the first time in 71 years that Mexico's ruling Revolutionary Institutional Party, or PRI, is behind in some opinion polls and could lose the presidential election, scheduled for July 2.
Observers appear divided on who had the most to lose by backing out of a debate.
Fox is ahead in some polls and poses a very real threat to Labastida, and the PRI's seven-decade dominance. He also objected to a plan by Mexico's television networks to air the debate on stations with the least number of viewers. Labastida, who rejected the idea of a panel, accused Fox of wanting close friends of his to be included as interviewers and said a panel format wouldn't be a traditional debate. Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, the candidate of Mexico's leftist Democratic Revolutionary Party, or PRD, also blamed Fox for being inflexible. He too rejected the idea of a panel.