Mexican ruling boosts Calderon, rival vows parallel government

August 29, 2006

Mexico's electoral court has unanimously rejected claims of massive fraud in the July 2nd presidential election and reported that the partial recount ordered at the end of last month has not changed the original result of a narrow victory for conservative candidate Felipe Calderon of the National Action Party (PAN). Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the left-wing Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), continues to insist that the election was rigged and has vowed to continue fighting the result. Lopez Obrador has rejected the ruling and suggested forming a rival parallel government.

There is no legal avenue to appeal the court's ruling, in except of the 39th article of the Mexican Constitution which states: "The sovereignty of the state resides on the citizens. The citizens have always the righ to change or to modify its government", article that has been claimed by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador as a right to summon a National Democratic Convention. The seven judges have until August 31 to resolve all complaints and until September 6 to officially declare a president-elect or annul the elections.

Lopez Obrador has led massive protests in Mexico City over the past month demanding a full recount.

"Never more will we accept that an illegal and illegitimate government is installed in our country," he told thousands of supporters following the ruling calling upon them to never accept Calderon as president and to decide if he should form a parallel government and (or) continue nationwide protests.

Leonel Castillo, the president of the tribunal, said Lopez Obrador's claims of massive fraud "turned out to be completely unfounded."

Lopez Obrador's election team had filed complaints at 50,000 polling stations but the court ordered a recount at only 11,839 stations or 9% of all voting locations following massive street protests. Calderon won the intial ballot count by a margion of less than 0.6%