Thousands protest recount rejection outside Mexico election court News
Thousands protest recount rejection outside Mexico election court

[JURIST] Responding to a call by Mexican presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador [campaign website, in Spanish; Wikipedia profile], thousands of the leftist's supporters gathered outside the Federal Electoral Tribunal [official website, in Spanish] Monday night to protest the court's decision not to hold a full recount [JURIST report] of last month's disputed election [JURIST news archive]. The demonstrators obstructed traffic around the court, while others have camped out in major thoroughfares. Lopez Obrador has pledged to continue the demonstrations [JURIST report] until the tribunal orders a recount of all 41 million votes cast, leading the government to increase security at Mexico City international airport, power plants and oil refineries. Last week, the Mexican interior minister criticized Lopez Obrador and his supporters [JURIST report] for setting up an "illegal blockade" that brought parts of the capital to a standstill.

A partial recount ordered by the tribunal, involving ballots at 9 percent of polling places, is scheduled to begin Wednesday. According to the official results [JURIST report], Lopez Obrador lost the election by about 220,000 votes to Felipe Calderon [campaign website, in Spanish; Wikipedia profile], who has referred to the demonstrators as "antidemocrats." AP has more. La Jornada has local coverage, in Spanish.

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