Mexico election protesters dig in

Mexico City has suffered a second day of traffic chaos as supporters of the left-wing candidate in the country's disputed election block a key street.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador toured protest camps on Tuesday, after sleeping out with supporters who want votes in the 2 July poll recounted.

His rival, Felipe Calderon, accused him of taking the city hostage as commuters battled through congested streets.

Mr Lopez Obrador alleges vote counts in the poll were rigged.

Official results gave victory to the conservative Mr Calderon by half a percentage point.

EU monitors have said they found no irregularities.

Protesters have been camped out for two days on the Mexican capital's main boulevard, Reforma, causing massive traffic jams and transforming some of the usually busy streets into pedestrian zones.

Mr Lopez Obrador was surrounded by enthusiastic supporters as he walked among the protesters telling them to stay put and not give in to critics.

Click here to see map of centre of Mexico City

His top campaign aide, Jesus Ortega, told the Associated Press news agency that there would be "more acts of civil disobedience".

Mr Lopez Obrador on Sunday called on his adherents to paralyse the capital until every vote was recounted.

I had powerful, very charismatic adversaries - but I won clearly Felipe Calderon Conservative candidate In pictures: Mexico protests

On Monday, the presidential candidate slept alongside thousands of supporters camping out on the streets.

"We are not going to turn to violence," he told the crowd. "Neither surrender, nor violence".

The country's electoral court has until the end of August to rule on a recount.

On Monday, Mr Lopez Obrador received a boost when the Mexican Electoral Tribunal agreed to consider his request for a recount - which is not provided for under the election rules.

The blockade was set up after Mr Lopez Obrador led a mass march to Mexico City's Zocalo square. Estimates of the attendance ranged from 500,000 to two million people.

As Mr Lopez Obrador rallied his supporters, ruling party candidate Felipe Calderon appeared before the electoral tribunal to argue that a full recount was unnecessary.

"I had powerful, very charismatic adversaries - but I won clearly," he told the panel of seven judges.