Mexico loses it's bloody mind.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:57 am

A mass rally of supporters of defeated Mexican presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has "elected" him head of a parallel government.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Mexico City's main square, the Zocalo, for the show of hands.

Mr Lopez Obrador and his supporters have said his defeat by less than 1% of the vote was fraudulent.

However, the highest electoral court has backed the result, giving power to conservative candidate Felipe Calderon.

'Legitimate president'

The demonstrators had flocked to the square after an earlier military parade to mark Independence Day that was overseen by outgoing President Vicente Fox.

Mr Lopez Obrador's supporters had been told to come for a National Democratic Convention.

They voted to swear him in as the "legitimate president" on 20 November, 11 days before Mr Calderon is officially inaugurated.

The BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Mexico City says the event is largely symbolic but will prove a psychological boost to Mr Lopez Obrador's supporters who believe he was cheated.

The campaign hopes to spend the next six years opposing the rule of Mr Calderon.

Some commentators say the "election" of a parallel administration will help reduce the possibility of radical street demonstrations.

Mass rally for Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico City

Developments bemuse press

One supporter, Lidia Alvarado, said: "It is going to be very rough for Calderon. Wherever he goes, we'll be there to remind him he became president through fraud."

The protesters had occupied the Zocalo since the election seven weeks ago but agreed to disband the tent city for good ahead of Saturday's military parade.

President Fox reviewed thousands of military personnel in the Zocalo at the parade.

But small groups of Lopez Obrador supporters held up signs reading "Fox, crook" and "Vote by vote".

Their campaign has been based on a call for a full recount of the vote.

Others at the parade cheered Mr Fox and president-elect Mr Calderon, who is from the president's party.

On Friday Mr Fox moved Independence Day celebrations out of the capital amid security fears.

He gave "el grito" - the independence cry of "Viva Mexico!" - from the town of Dolores Hidalgo, 270km (170 miles) north of Mexico City, where in 1810 national hero Miguel Hidalgo established the movement for independence from Spain.

A government spokesman said the event was moved from Mexico City because of fears of radical groups planning violence.

More to follow as Mexico starts spinning.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 7:38 am

This is fucking insane. The last thing we need is a civil war on our southern border.

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 12:56 pm

Well... there's no oil, so I doubt we'll be invading.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:42 pm

Y'know, for a brief while they appeared to be on the right track. Damn shame.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:44 pm

There isn't oil in Afghanistan either Tev. Crap on a stick, what the hell is Orador thinking? His actions aren't going to help anyone, least of all his followers, they have the most the lose if Mexico becomes more unstable. I have to say I don't think he's thinking of anyone but himself and his own desire to rule.

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:48 pm

Is he taking lessons from Bush?

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:08 pm

You're not covering yourself with glory here Tev, Orador is a leftiest, closer to a socialist than to a democrat from my understanding. So no, he's not taking lessions from Bush, more like Hugo Chavez.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:48 pm

There is oil in Mexico, but it's pretty much a fucked industry because it's state-run.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:50 pm

Petrosjko wrote:There is oil in Mexico, but it's pretty much a fucked industry because it's state-run.

Which is to say that a state run industry in Mexico is going to be fucked up, not that state run industries are necessarily fucked up (some have done quite well in Canada).

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:33 pm

I was asking more about the president-elect who won by such a small margin they're calling it fraud. That's more like Bush.

But the other is a Socialist? More reason for Bush to want to invade and 'preserve Democracy!'.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:16 pm

If this breaks loose somewhere and gets into real shooting and rioting, the concern is that we're quite possibly going to have refugees coming our way.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:28 am

Tev, enough, this thread is not about Jr. Take your pot shots to a thread that is about US internal matters.

This thread is about Mexico, it has nothing to do with Jr. Stop it hijacking the thread.

And Jr has never invaded anyone for being socialist, there is enough to complain about without exgrattioning.

LibriumArcana.Games

Mexico loses it's bloody mind.

#1 Mexico loses it's bloody mind.

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12