Mexico leftist’s backers aim for massive protest

Wave after wave of supporters of Mexican presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) arrive for a massive rally 30 July, 2006 at Mexico City's Zocalo. Mexico's election tribunal took up the case after Lopez Obrador's organization delivered 900 pages documenting alleged vote fraud. It has until September 6 to issue a final ruling. AFP PHOTO/Susana GONZALEZ (Photo credit should read SUSANA GONZALEZ/AFP/Getty Images)
Susana Gonzalez / AFP - Getty Images
Updated: 11:43 a.m. ET July 30, 2006

MEXICO CITY - Tens of thousands of supporters of Mexico’s leftist candidate gathered in the capital Sunday for what they hoped would become the nation’s largest-ever street protest, demanding a vote-by-vote recount of an election they claim was marred by fraud.

It was the third rally convened by presidential hopeful Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador since the July 2 vote and there were concernLopez Obrador’s aides say they expect 1.5 million to 3 million people to attend the demonstration. While his supporters and city police have sometimes exaggerated crowd estimates, the former mayor has previously draw hundreds of thousands into the streets.

Even as demonstrators filled Mexico City’s historic city center Sunday, lawyers for his conservative opponent, ex-energy secretary Felipe Calderon, were preparing to argue in front of the Federal Electoral Tribunal—Mexico’s highest election court—that the election was fair and Calderon the winner. The tribunal is weighing challenges filed by both sides.

An official count gave Calderon an advantage of less than 0.6 percent over Lopez Obrador, about 240,000 votes out of 41 million-plus cast. The electoral court has until Sept. 6 to either declare a winner or annul the election. Mexico’s constitution limits presidents to one, six-year term and President Vicente Fox, of Calderon’s National Action Party, leaves office Dec. 1.