Mexico leftist’s backers aim for massive protest

[Judi Lynn]

Mexico leftist’s backers aim for massive protest
Supporters hope for historic turnout to demand full election recount
Updated: 32 minutes ago



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.
(snip/...)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13401494/

[High Plains]

1. And nobody here is paying attention.

[John Q. Citizen]

9. Well, I am :) But too few are, I agree. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

2. Mexico left takes election protest back to streets

Mexico left takes election protest back to streets

By Catherine Bremer
Reuters
Sunday, July 30, 2006; 2:31 AM

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the left-winger who claims he was robbed of victory in Mexico's contested presidential election, will lead a massive protest rally on Sunday to press for a vote-by-vote recount.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to join the march across Mexico City to its central Zocalo, one of the world's largest squares, where Lopez Obrador will announce details of a civil disobedience campaign to push his cause
(snip)

The protest on Sunday will be Lopez Obrador's third since the election, and could be the biggest.

"We are working intensely. It's going to be a historic march, supporters are coming from all over the country," said Jesus Ortega, a senior aide to the leftist candidate.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/30/AR2006073000043.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From an earlier article:

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/07/05/mexico3_narrowweb__300x365,0.jpg

A protester holds up a marked ballot paper she says was found in the street in an outlying district of Mexico City.
Photo: str

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/mexico-poll-recount-demand/2006/07/05/1151778994718.html

[stepnw1f]

3. DU Home Page

Should have pics on the front page of this to show every DU member and visitor of DU that "We the People" can create positive change if we work together. Thanks for the post and recommended.

[Ghost in the Machine]

4. There is a lesson in this for Americans..... study hard, people....

there's gonna be a test in November.

edited for spelling. bleh!

[gorbal]

5. I just want to see the proof that troops exaggerate numbers

The press just doesn't want us to think that the past numbers were in the millions. If they say they weren't, I want some proof.

[Exiled in America]

6. Take note, John Kerry.

[LordLovesAWorkingMan]

11. Or any Dem, for that matter

2008 is coming...we may be in the streets in 2009.

[Vidar]

7. Applauding Obrador & the Mexican patriots.

[mom cat]

8. How Beautiful and stirring! We need to be taking notes from them.

[watercolors]

10. Now there is Democracy in action!

When will we take our country back?

[stepnw1f]

12. Kick (nt)

[katinmn]

13. K&N!

[Judi Lynn]

14. Mexican leftists swarm capital in election protest

Mexican leftists swarm capital in election protest
Jul 30, 2006 — By Cyntia Barrera

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A massive crowd marched through Mexico City on Sunday to back a leftist who claims he was robbed of victory in a fiercely contested presidential election and is demanding a vote-by-vote recount.

At least 100,000 protesters swarmed toward the central Zocalo, one of the world's largest squares, where Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was to rally his supporters for a campaign of civil disobedience.

"Lopez Obrador, hold on, the people are rising up," supporters chanted on Sunday, many dressed in the bright yellow of his leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution, or PRD.
(snip)

"The elections were filthy," said Maria Teresa Priego, a 57-year-old city government employee. "We are here to support a humble man, a hard-working man."
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2253816

Don't think many of us don't notice when news people use words like "swarm" in referring to non-right-wing people. Right-wing people would "crowd" Mexico City, and the words used would be impressive to underscore their great numbers as desirable.

[BlueJac]

15. If American did that in 2000.................just think where we would be

Free of Iraq and the neo-cons......shit, who knows, we might even still have rights and privacy.

[Judi Lynn]

16. Briefly: López Obrador backers clog Mexico's streets

Briefly: López Obrador backers clog Mexico's streets
Reuters, The Associated Press

Published: July 30, 2006

López Obrador backers clog Mexico's streets

MEXICO CITY: Hundreds of thousands of supporters of the leftist candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador marched Sunday in what they hoped would be Mexico's largest street protest ever, demanding a vote-by- vote recount in an election they said was marred by fraud.

It was the third rally convened by López Obrador since the presidential vote on July 2 and there were concerns that the candidate might radicalize his followers, who have so far been peaceful and orderly.

Even as demonstrators began filling the capital's historic center Sunday, lawyers for his conservative opponent, the former energy secretary Felipe Calderón, were preparing to argue in front of the Federal Electoral Tribunal, Mexico's highest election court, that the election had been clean and Calderón the winner. The tribunal is considering election challenges filed by both sides. (AP)
(snip/)

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/07/30/news/notes.php

[Judi Lynn]

17. Hundreds of thousands in renewed protests against Mexican elections

Hundreds of thousands in renewed protests against Mexican elections
Jul 30, 2006, 20:32 GMT

Mexico City - More than 700 thousand demonstrators gathered in Mexico City to protest alleged fraud in the country's July 2 presidential elections, local media reported Sunday.

Called by the left-leaning candidate Lopez Obrador, marchers on the Zocalo Square in the centre of the Mexican capital called for a recount in the election.

According to the official count, the 52-year-old Obrador lost the election by 244,000 votes or 0.58 percentage points against Felipe Calderon.

Sunday's demonstration was the third mass protest since the elections. More than a million people took part in a demonstration two weeks ago to demand a recount.
(snip/...)

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/southamerica/article_1185316.php/Hundreds_of_thousands_in_renewed_protests_against_Mexican_elections

[Judi Lynn]

18. Want to see some fantastic, HUGE crowd photos?

Look in on DU'er cal04's thread in G.D.:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1772761

Be sure to check Blackhatjack's post #15, from the DailyKos which indicates they may have 2.4 MILLION people there!

[Blackhatjack]

19. If Dems had hit the streets like this in 2000, It could've been different

I will say it again. We need to put pressure on the "enablers" who failed to standup to those who stole the election, and force them to act on the behalf of the American public. The installation of Bush could not have happened without them.

Politicians understand one thing --a mad electorate dead set on voting them out of office.
Go ask Joe Lieberman. He gets it, and trying to get back in via the independent route.

We need to make it simple. Stand up for the people who elected you, not those who funneled huge campaign contributions and gifts to you. Or else --look for another job after the next election.

[lovuian]

20. So where is Cauldron's protestors???

Where o Where can they be...

Let the revolution begin...

[Judi Lynn]

21. You'd think there's be a few of the right-wing loons gathering to protest

the protestors, just as the Freeps attempted to rally a massive stand against the Human Beings who protested _Bush's dirty war on Iraq.