Who is Andrés Manuel López Obrador?

1953: López Obrador, widely known as AMLO, born into Mexican family of modest means in
southeastern state of Tabasco

1970s: Works for state’s indigenous affairs bureau

1980s: Begins political career in Mexico’s long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), eventually becoming Tabasco state party president in 1983

1988: Joins political movement against candidacy of Salinas de Gortari, which leads to founding of centre-left Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD)

1996-99: Serves as national president of PRD

2000: Elected mayor of Mexico City, embarking on series of public works and social-welfare programmes for the poor and disadvantaged

2006: Narrowly defeated in first presidential bid against Felipe Calderón – refuses to recognise result. Organises protest that closes one of Mexico City’s main thoroughfares
for weeks, causing chaos

2012: Obrador again loses bid for presidency against PRI’s candidate Enrique Peña Nieto

2014: Disenchanted with PRD’s support for Peña Nieto’s economic initiatives, Obrador founds new party – National Regeneration Movement (MORENA)

2018: Obrador on brink of winning Mexico’s presidential election after crusading against
what he calls “the mafia of power” and neoliberal policies


Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Reuters, BBC 
Picture: Getty Images 
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