Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, founder of Mexico's modern left, dies at 92

What happened

Cárdenas, a civil engineer and son of former president Lázaro Cárdenas, died on Wednesday, Oct 28. The cause has not been made public.

He left the ruling PRI, where he had been governor of Michoacán from 1980 to 1986, and ran for president in 1988 against Carlos Salinas de Gortari. The official count gave Salinas the win amid disputed results after the vote-counting system was interrupted.

His career

1. 1988

   Runs for president; official result favours Salinas

2. 1989

   Helps found the PRD

3. 1997

   Wins Mexico City's first elected leadership

Cárdenas helped found the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) in 1989 and ran for president again in 1994 and 2000. In 1997 he won the first popular vote for head of government of Mexico City.

Leaders of Morena, the PRI, the National Action Party and Citizens' Movement offered condolences. His son Lázaro Cárdenas Batel heads President Claudia Sheinbaum's office.