Sunday, September 10, 2006

Calderon declared winner, but political crisis looms

As reported here, as expected, "Felipe Calderon was declared president-elect Tuesday after two months of uncertainty, but his ability to rule effectively remained in doubt with rival Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador vowing to lead a parallel leftist government from the streets.

"The unanimous decision by the Federal Electoral Tribunal rejected allegations of systematic fraud and awarded Calderon the presidency by 233,831 votes out of 41.6 million cast in the July 2 elections -- a margin of 0.56 percent. The ruling cannot be appealed.

"Calderon now must win over millions of Mexicans angry that President Vicente Fox, who is from Calderon's party, didn't make good on promises of sweeping change -- and fend off thousands of radicalized leftists who say they will stop at nothing to undermine his presidency.

"Lopez Obrador, whose support is dwindling but becoming more radical, has said he won't recognize the new government and vows to block Calderon from taking power Dec. 1. Protesters outside the tribunal wept as the decision was announced and set off firecrackers that shook the building.

""We aren't going to let him govern!" Thomas Jimenez, a 30-year-old law student, screamed as hundreds of protesters threw eggs and trash at the courthouse."

Current Mexican President has said that he will stop Obrador from preventing Calderon taking office, and Fox needs to keep his word on that, so that a peaceful progression can take place. Then, once Calderon is in office, he has to enforce the law, and put Obrador and his followers in jail if they try to set up an "alternate government".

Sedition is sedition, no matter what country it takes place in, and there is no place in this world for sedition against a duly elected representative government.

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