>> Reporter: IN THE PAST, IF A
MEXICAN CITIZEN LIVING IN THE
U.S. WANTED TO VOTE IN MEXICO,
MOST HAD TO PHYSICALLY CROSS THE
BORDER BACK TO THEIR HOME
COUNTRY.
NOT ANYMORE.
NOW A MEXICAN CITIZEN MUST
SIMPLY GET TO ONE OF 50 MEXICAN
CONSULATE OFFICES BY MARCH 31st
TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
RUBIN OCHOA LOPEZ HAS LIVED IN
THE U.S. FOR 15 YEARS.
HE'S ALWAYS WANTED TO VOTE IN
HIS HOME COUNTRY, BUT HE WAS
AFRAID HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO
RETURN TO THE U.S. IF HE WENT TO
MEXICO TO VOTE EVEN THOUGH HE'S
HERE IN THE U.S. LEGALLY.
NOW ALL OCHOA LOPEZ HAS TO DO IS
PRESENT A BIRTH CERTIFICATE,
PROOF OF HIS U.S. ADDRESS, AND A
PHOTO I.D. TO THE MEXICAN
CONSULATE'S OFFICE IN TUCSON.
THE CONSULATE WILL TAKE CARE OF
THE REST.
OCHOA LOPEZ WILL RECEIVE A CARD
IN THE MAIL THAT NEEDS TO BE
ACTIVATED.
THEN A VOTING PACKET WILL BE
SENT TO HIM FROM MEXICO CITY.
>> I'VE BEEN ASKED TO SERVE AS A
FOREIGN OBSERVER OF MEXICAN
ELECTIONS.
>> Reporter: THIS MAN TEACHES
MEXICAN FILM AT UCLA.
HE'S U.S. BORN AND HAS BEEN
ASKED BY THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT
TO TRAVEL THE U.S. TO PROMOTE
THIS NEW WAY FOR MEXICANS LIVING
ABROAD TO VOTE.
THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY FOR
MEXICO TO GET ITS CITIZENS
LIVING ABROAD TO VOTE.
>> THE BEST ANALYSTS OF THE
POLITICAL SCENE IN MEXICO ALL
CONCUR THAT THESE COMING
ELECTIONS IN JULY 1st OF 2018
ARE GOING TO BE SOME OF THE MOST
CONTESTED ELECTIONS IN THE
MODERN HISTORY OF MEXICO.
>> THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION
CYCLE IN MEXICO'S HISTORY.
>> TUCSON'S MEXICAN CONSUL,
RICARDO PINEDA, SAYS IN ADDITION
TO THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, A
RECORD NUMBER OF SENATORS MUST
BE ELECTED FROM EVERY MEXICAN
STATE.
AND GOVERNORSHIPS ARE ALSO UP
FOR GRABS.
>> IT'S NOT ONLY GOING TO BE A
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
ALSO ELECTION FOR GOVERNANCE IN
MEXICO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
BAJA, CALIFORNIA.
>> NOW THE RACE BETWEEN THE
THREE LEADING PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES IS SO CLOSE THAT
MEXICAN ELECTION OFFICIALS
PREDICT THE RESULTS COULD BE
DETERMINED BY ONE PERCENTAGE
POINT.
>> AND SAY THE PERCENTAGE IS
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR POINTS,
THE MEXICAN VOTE HERE COULD BE
ABSOLUTELY DECISIVE.
>> THERE ARE NOW NINE POLITICAL
PARTIES IN MEXICO.
>> WHAT THE PARTIES DID IS THEY
CAME TOGETHER.
THEY MADE ALLIANCES AND
COALITIONS.
>> THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
GRADUATE ENRIQUE DAVIS MA SEWN
HEADS UP A WEBSITE.
HE SPECIALIZES IN FOLLOWING ALL
ASPECTS OF THE MEXICAN
ELECTIONS.
HE SAYS THOSE NINE POLITICAL
PARTIES ARE FORMING STRANGE
ALLIANCES BETWEEN THE COUNTRY'S
FAR LEFT AND FAR RIGHT.
>> IF WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
U.S. AND SAYING THE TEA PARTY
COMES TOGETHER WITH PLANNED
PARENTHOOD AND THEY GET TOGETHER
AND THEY'RE HAVING THE SAME
CANDIDATE, THAT'S HOW EXTREME
THIS ELECTION IS.
>> THE DRUGS, THE GANGS, THE
CARTELS, THE CRISIS OF SMUGGLING
AND TRAFFICKING.
>> THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY HAS ALSO
SPARKED A NEW TYPE OF
NATIONALISM IN MEXICO.
MEXICANS WANT THEIR NEW
PRESIDENT TO TAKE A HARD STAND
AGAINST TRUMP'S POLICIES TOWARDS
MEXICO.
DAVID MA SEE SAYS THERE HAS BEEN
NO THAWING OF THE RELATIONSHIP.
>> NO.
HOW CAN THEY WHEN IT'S SO
PERSONAL?
WHEN HE ATTACKS THEM DIRECTLY,
WHEN HE SAYS THAT MEXICO SENDS
ITS WORSE TO THE U.S., WHEN HE
CITES EXPECTS OF VIOLENCE OF
MEXICANS.
I MEAN EVERY COUNTRY HAS
VIOLENCE.
BUT THEN HE SINGLES OUT
MEXICANS.
>> DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT
POLITICAL PARTY WINS IN MEXICO?
DOES IT MATTER TO THE U.S.?
DOES IT MATTER TO ARIZONA?
>> OF COURSE.
WE ARE INTRICATELY LINKED
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
OUR ECONOMY, OUR SOCIETIES, OUR
CULTURE, OUR FAMILY TIES.
SO LIKE IT OR NOT, WE DEPEND ON
EACH OTHER ON ALL KINDS OF
LEVELS.
MEXICO IS THE NUMBER ONE
CONSUMER OF AMERICAN GOODS.
MEXICAN INVESTORS HAVE ENORMOUS
ECONOMIC TIES IN THE UNITED
STATES.
SO IT MATTERS A GREAT DEAL.