Mexican Invasion
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Title: President Vicente Fox called on Mexico City authorities Wednesday to clear streets of protest camps that have crippled the capital's center
Source:
ap
URL Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/08/02/mexico.election.ap/
Published: Aug 2, 2006
Author: ap
Post Date: 2006-08-02 22:26:31 by TLBSHOW
Keywords: None
Views: 4597
Comments: 2
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- President Vicente Fox called on Mexico City authorities Wednesday to clear streets of protest camps that have crippled the capital's center as part of leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's battle in the disputed presidential race. During his morning news conference, Fox spokesman Ruben Aguilar urged the city government to find a legal and peaceful resolution to three days of protests that have blocked the main avenues of Mexico City's financial and cultural heart, snarling traffic and causing the country's stock market and currency to falter. He argued that the demonstrations were costing the capital commerce and keeping people from their jobs. "The city of Mexico is for everyone," Aguilar said, reading a statement from the president's office. "Democracy should be defended respectfully." Mexico City Mayor Alejandro Encinas, who replaced Lopez Obrador a year ago when the former city leader stepped down to run for president, has refused to take action against the protesters. Lopez Obrador argues the July 2 elections were marred by fraud, giving ruling party candidate Felipe Calderon an advantage of less than 0.6 percent, or about 240,000 votes. He has asked the country's top electoral court to order a recount he says will prove that he is the race's true winner. The Federal Electoral Tribunal has until September 6 to declare a president-elect or annul the elections. Lopez Obrador asked his supporters on Sunday to erect the tent cities, which have further divided an already polarized megapolis of 20 million people. The leftist candidate has threatened to launch other acts of "civil disobedience," but promises any demonstrations will be peaceful. On Tuesday, Carlos Abascal, the top-ranking member of Fox's Cabinet, said he personally appealed to Encinas to take action. "We, the authorities, have a responsibility to govern for everyone. Only then is democracy a reality," Abascal said. Calderon, who considers a vote-by-vote recount both unnecessary and illegal, has accused his rival of having "kidnapped" the capital. "They want to win in the streets something they weren't able to win at the voting booth," he told reporters Tuesday. Mexican stocks fell for a second straight day Tuesday, with the key IPC index closing 0.6 percent lower. The peso also weakened slightly -- which analysts blamed in part on the street blockades. Fox's administration has said it will not send in federal forces unless the city government requests help. With the local government controlled by Lopez Obrador's Democratic Revolution Party, that's unlikely. On Tuesday, the candidate called on supporters to fortify their tent camps and said those who oppose a full recount "say they support the rule of law but actually are in favor of ruling crookedly." A more combative atmosphere has spread throughout the motley collection of makeshift road blocks and plastic sheeting. Some protesters yelled obscenities and threats and even lobbed bottles at reporters. But Lopez Obrador urged his supporters to remain peaceful. "We have to act with prudence even though our blood is boiling," he said. "If we are right, we have no reason to be hostile to the media."
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#1. To: TLBSHOW (#0)
Obrador won the election. I hope there are riots in the streets about this.
Does that mean I'm going to lose all the money I won on Calderon?
"Be a patriot and a hero. Torture and kill a cop, before they do it to you---because they will." Michael E. Kreca Lopez Obrador argues the July 2 elections were marred by fraud, giving ruling party candidate Felipe Calderon an advantage of less than 0.6 percent, or about 240,000 votes.
#2. To: Fred Mertz (#1)
Obrador won the election
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