NOVEMBER 2006 FEATURE ARTICLE

Mexican presidential candidate Manuel Lopez Obrador has led a very popular reform movement in Mexico City, sparked by an obviously fraudulent presidential election last July 2, which he lost by a very slim margin. He will not recognize the present Administration, and is instead working on plans to create a parallel government, which will be inaugurated on November 20. Obrador has experience as a mayor of Mexico City, where he worked for the poor and disenfranchised. He has millions of Mexicans behind him. Even so, he has taken on a very big challenge. What does his solar return say about his prospects? (View solar return chart.)

Obrador’s birthday comes in the midst of our heavy Scorpio energy, November 13. The chart for his solar return tells about the unique energy with which we are all working now. It is, in fact, a time for all of us to take on big challenges, while we have the tools.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, or AMLO, as he is known, was born on November 13, 1953, with four planets in determined Scorpio (view natal chart). Scorpio has two rulers, Pluto and Mars, and both make challenging aspects to his Sun. Pluto, the great Transformer, in commanding Leo squares his Scorpio Sun, and Mars in Libra, the sign that fights for justice, is at the Pluto-Sun midpoint.

A retrograde Mercury in Scorpio conjoins his Sun. This combination makes for an able and determined fighter, ready to do whatever is necessary for the cause. Retrograde Mercury allows him to be unconcerned about what others think of him. He has known for his whole life that he marches to a different drummer. AMLO’s moon in radical Aquarius supports his independence, and makes him emotionally invested in a better society. Aquarius is also a fixed sign. Fixed signs stick to their programs.

AMLO’s Solar Return has five planets in Scorpio, an energy with which he is very much at home. Mercury is again retrograde, and people born with retrograde Mercuries tend to function well during Mercury-retrograde periods. However, its position vis-a-vis the sun is different now. AMLO’s natal Mercury rises after the sun, which gives it a thoughtful, cautious tone. Mercury in his solar return rises before the Sun, which will make him more impulsive. As will Mars rising before the Sun.

It is very relevant that it is on November 13 that Mercury makes its first rising after its transit of Sun. The rising position imparts great potency to a planet. Besides which, Mercury is now carrying the vitality of Sun. As we watch Mercury rise and brighten day-by-day in the dawn sky, it is likely that Obrador’s project will also rise and shine.

Venus and Jupiter, also conjuncting Solar Return Sun, give him hope, optimism, and likely success in his endeavors. They make a close square with the Moon-Saturn conjunction in his Solar Return, which means lots of hard work, and moments of discouragement. However, discipline and inner authority are assets.

Moon in Aquarius tends to see oneself as one among many. With Moon now in Leo, and conjoined Saturn, the boss, he has a very clear vision of being the one at the top. Let’s hope his affinity for democracy doesn’t suffer.

But he is indefatigable, and transiting Saturn conjoining his natal Pluto will give him the energy and drive for very hard work. Transiting Pluto trines his natal Pluto, and this period—of a few years—is a time of the slow inner growth of power.

AMLO’s Chiron is in Capricorn, the sign of government. How appropriate for the Wounded Healer! His Solar Return Pallas Athena conjoins his natal Chiron. Chiron also signifies the maverick, and AMLO will have Pallas’ fine strategy available for organizing and running his parallel government.

With 8 of 10 planets in fixed signs, things begun now—by any of us—have staying power. Essentially, we see here a new direction for power—for each of us, and for the world. We are all part of this great turn of the wheel of time.