Consider the following two statements and select the answer using the ...
a) Mexico has never been under a military or dictator’s rule. But until 2000 every election was won by a party called PRI.
The first statement asserts that Mexico has never been under a military or dictator's rule. However, this statement is false. Mexico has indeed experienced periods of military rule and dictatorship throughout its history.
During the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), the country underwent a period of political instability, with various military leaders and factions vying for power. Additionally, from 1929 to 2000, Mexico was effectively under the rule of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which was known for its authoritarian and centralized control.
Therefore, the statement that Mexico has never been under a military or dictator's rule is false.
b) The PRI was known to use democratic processes to win elections.
The second statement claims that the PRI used democratic processes to win elections. This statement is also false. While the PRI held regular elections during its rule, its dominance in Mexican politics was maintained through a combination of strategies that limited political competition and perpetuated its hold on power.
The PRI employed various tactics to ensure its electoral success, including widespread corruption, voter coercion, manipulation of electoral laws, and control of the media. These actions undermined the principles of fair and free elections, thereby contradicting the notion of using democratic processes to win.
It was not until the year 2000 that the PRI's long-standing rule was finally interrupted when Vicente Fox, representing the National Action Party (PAN), won the presidential election. This marked a significant shift in Mexican politics and the end of the PRI's uninterrupted control.
Conclusion
Based on the analysis of the two statements, it can be concluded that both statements are false. Mexico has experienced periods of military and dictatorial rule, and the PRI employed undemocratic means to maintain its power during its long-standing rule.
Therefore, the correct answer is Option C) Both a and b are false.