Mexico presidential candidates offer little detail to address country's violence in final debate

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Less than two weeks from national elections, opposition presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez hit away on security, one of Mexico's most stubborn challenges, in her final debate Sunday night with governing party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum.

Sheinbaum, the frontrunner in the race, defended the security record of her mentor, outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, while Gálvez accused the administration of playing nice with the country’s powerful drug cartels.

“What has been this administration’s strategy? Give the country to organized crime,” said Gálvez, a former senator and tech entrepreneur.

But Sheinbaum, a former Mexico City mayor and climate scientist, maintained the conservative strategy that she employed in two previous debates, not taking the bait when Gálvez attacked.

Gálvez promised to keep and strengthen the National Guard that López Obrador created, but also strengthen state and local police forces.

“Hugs for criminals are over,” she said in reference to López Obrador’s oft-repeated slogan, “Hugs, not bullets.”

She also promised to personally lead the meetings of the National Search Commission, which is supposed to help locate the 100,000 Mexicans listed as missing.

Both candidates said they would lean heavily on the National Guard, saying they would continue to expand it. In one potential difference, Gálvez said she wants it under civilian leadership.

Sheinbaum promised to continue López Obrador’s efforts to address the social ills that he says feed cartel recruitment.

“The drug war continued until President Andrés Manuel López Obrador arrived and changed the policy of declaring war to building peace,” Sheinbaum said.

Sheinbaum did not make any major stumbles and it seemed unlikely Gálvez would eat into the comfortable lead that Sheinbaum has maintained in polls in recent months.

Jorge Álvarez Máynez of the small Citizen Movement party continued to focus his attention on the country’s youth, repeating his promises of a five-day work week and more spaces in public universities.

He has trailed Sheinbaum and Gálvez who are vying to become Mexico’s first woman president in the June 2 election.

Mexico is extremely polarized ahead of the June 2 presidential election. López Obrador regularly rails against reporters, the middle class, businessmen and people he calls “individualists” and social climbers.

Earlier Sunday, tens of thousands of mostly opposition supporters protested against the president in the capital's vast colonial-era main plaza.

The protesters carried signs saying “We are Mexicans,” referring to what they claim are attempts by López Obrador to divide the country.

The protest was originally called to defend independent electoral agencies that the president wants to reduce or de-fund. But many protesters carried banners supporting Gálvez.

Mexican presidents are limited to a single six-year term.

Mexico City resident Joel Guerra, 59, carried a sign that read “Reclaim Mexico.”

“The president says that only his supporters are ‘the good people’ of Mexico, and the rest of us don't have rights,” Guerra said. “We are people, too.”

Guerra was particularly concerned by a new law that López Obrador has passed that seizes unclaimed personal pension accounts to hand out to other retirees.

“Unfortunately, the people governing us right now have completely divided the country,” businesswoman Alana Leal said. “There are two groups of Mexicans, and that's not fair. It's not fair to create so much hate, because at the end of the day, we're all in the same boat, and we are all working for the country's progress.”

López Obrador frequently attacks anyone who disagrees with him as “racist, classist, conservative.” He also favors state-owned companies and government hand-out programs and derides the accumulation of personal wealth.

Sheinbaum has pledged to try to reconcile Mexicans if she wins, but Leal said he doubted she would.

“I think it will be very difficult to achieve a reconciliation between the two groups,” she said, adding, “That is very regrettable.”

Members of Mexico's military hold the Mexican flag before an opposition rally at the Zocalo, Mexico City's main square, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)

People participate at an opposition rally ahead of the June 2 presidential elections, in the Zocalo, Mexico City, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)

Presidential candidate Xochitl Galvez, right, sings the anthem alongside Santiago Taboada, candidate for Mexico City's chief of government, in an opposition rally ahead of June 2 general elections in the Zocalo, Mexico City's main square, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)

People participate in an opposition rally ahead of the June 2 presidential elections, at the Zocalo, Mexico City's main square, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)

Mexican presidential candidate Xochitl Galvez gestures at an opposition rally to encourage voting ahead of the June 2 presidential elections, in the Zocalo, Mexico City's main square, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)

A person holds a sign that reads "we are all the same Mexico" at an opposition rally called to encourage voting ahead of the June 2 presidential elections, in the Zocalo, Mexico City's main square, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)

Mexican presidential candidate Xochitl Galvez speaks at an opposition rally to encourage voting ahead of the June 2 presidential elections, in the Zocalo, Mexico City, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)

Mexican presidential candidate Xochitl Galvez speaks at an opposition rally to encourage voting ahead of the June 2 presidential elections, in the main square, Mexico City, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)

Mexican opposition supporters hold up a flag during a rally, protesting what they claim are attempts by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to divide the country, in the Zocalo, Mexico City, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Mexico is set to hold general elections June 2.

BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Taylor Pendrith shot a 7-under 64 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead over Matt NeSmith into the weekend in the 3M Open.

Playing in windier afternoon conditions, Pendrith made a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th and tapped in for another birdie on the par-5 18th. He had a 12-under 130 total at the TPC Twin Cities, playing the first 36 holes without a bogey.

The 33-year-old Canadian won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in May in Texas for his first PGA Tour title. He tied for fifth last week in the Barracuda Championship in California.

“Today was pretty tricky with the wind, it was blowing pretty hard at times, so my speed was great all day and stayed really patient," Pendrith said. “I didn’t really have many good looks through the first hour I would say of golf and was able to stay patient and make a couple, made a couple longer ones, which was nice.”

NeSmith had a 64 in the morning before wind gusts topping 20 mph hit the course in the afternoon and early evening.

Seeking his first PGA Tour victory, NeSmith lost in a playoff two weeks ago at the ISCO Championship in Kentucky, his lone top-10 finish in 20 prior starts this season. He has missed 11 cuts.

“Patience is key out here whether it be to win golf tournaments, to make cuts, to try and keep your card to try and get in the top 30,” NeSmith said. “I think it pertains to each and every person out here. You never know when you’re going to get hot, you never know when good golf’s coming. Just kind of try and be patient, try and keep calmer heads and you never know what will happen.”

First-round leader Jacob Bridgeman had a 70 to drop three strokes back at 9 under with Andrew Putnam (66). Doug Ghim (64), Lanto Griffin (66), Alex Smalley (65) and Jhonattan Vegas (66) were 8 under.

“I felt like anything under par today was pretty good, especially in the afternoon,” said Bridgeman, one of the last players to tee off Friday. “The wind was blowing really hard in the beginning of the round, caught a little bit of a lull at the end, which was nice. But greens were kind of bumpy from all the traffic. … I stayed patient all day, didn’t really have a whole lot of great chances.”

The event is the second-to-last tournament before the FedEx Cup playoffs begin, with some players near the 70-player cutoff failing to advance to the weekend. Nick Dunlap (64th in the standings), Luke List (71st) and defending champion Lee Hodges (73rd) missed the cut.

Jacob Bridgeman walks on the 10th tee during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Stewart Cink watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Kurt Kitayama watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Lanto Griffin watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Andrew Putnam watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Matt NeSmith walks off the 18th green after his putt during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Matt NeSmith watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Taylor Pendrith lines up his putt on the 18th green during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Taylor Pendrith putts on the 18th green during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)