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World: Latin America


Mexico's Fox in favor of new round of elections
The July 2 election gave a slim victory to the conservative candidate Felipe Calderón over Andrés Manuel López Obrador

Thursday, July 20, 2006
by MISNA


Mexico's exiting President Vicente Fox for the first time said that he is in favour of an eventual second round of the presidential election to resolve the impasse in the country following the result of the July 2 vote. That election gave a slim victory to the conservative candidate Felipe Calderón over the left-leaning Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has contested the outcome.

“I am inclined toward a runoff intended as an instrument to obtain a majority that consents taking the more important decisions for the country”, stated Fox, in clear reference to the razor-thin margin of 243,934 votes that separate Calderón from Amlo, as the candidate of the Party of Democratic Revolution (PRD) is popularly called.

Fox, accused by ‘subcommander’ Marcos of orchestrating electoral fraud in favour of Calderón, reiterated his “absolute confidence” in the Electoral Tribunal, the only body authorised to proclaim the new president.

The Court is examining the over 360 appeals presented for the most part by the leftist coalition headed by the PRD. It has until August 31 to draw its conclusions and September 6 to proclaim a winner.

Meanwhile, tension remains high in Mexico City. The media and politicians have launched repeated calls for calm to avoid new unrest between supporters of the two candidates that already engaged in clashes and acts of vandalism.

“The local administration condemns these actions. This is not the way to resolve controversies”, said the Mayor of the capital Alejandro Encinas. “

We shouldn't get into a situation of violence”, said Enrique Cuevas, the host of a news program for the Formato 21 radio station. “We are falling to a low political level that isn't going to lead us anywhere”.