Posted on 08/06/2006 3:31:09 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
MEXICO CITY — A showdown looms in the streets today after a tribunal of federal judges ruled against a charismatic populist who lost a presidential election cliffhanger but inspires thousands of supporters camping in a downtown tent city that stretches for miles.
With tensions already elevated by weeks of marches and blockades, Mexicans braced for what may come this morning when Andrés Manuel López Obrador is to announce how civil resistance to the election results will intensify.
López Obrador rejected the tribunal's decision Saturday for a partial recount, rather than a full one, of the closest election in Mexico history.
Speaking to supporters who endured a driving rain, López Obrador said he would fight.
"To make it very clear, we are going to continue with our peaceful resistance," he said.
He appealed to followers to be on guard.
"We have to be careful not to be provoked, because what we are doing has to bring results by order and discipline," he said. "We have to respect everyone and their rights, so that all of our suffering will not be in vain."
Looking out over the crowd, he measured their will.
"Should we go or stay?" he asked.
"We stay!" thousands shouted back in unison.
Predictions vary widely as to what will come next — from blocking more downtown streets to taking over highways or the city's airport, where riot police with shields and helmets are lined up. Protection already has been stepped up at Mexico's presidential compound.
Some people fear if the envelope is pushed, it could trigger a clash with federal troops.
"Every Mexican is asking, what else is going to happen?" merchant Samuel Uglade, 72, said as he stood in the front of his fabric store around the corner from the square, which has become a tent city.
Nobody expects López Obrador to throw in the towel.
He has said he'll accept no less than a total recount of the July 2 election, which he contends was stolen by fraud.
But the seven-member Federal Electoral Tribunal agreed unanimously to recount ballots in 9 percent of the more than 130,000 voting precincts.
So far, López Obrador's supporters have been just an irritant, as they've used protracted public demonstrations to disrupt tourism and financial districts. There has been no violence or arrests.
President Vicente Fox has appealed for a peaceful solution to the crisis and said he won't deploy federal troops unless asked by local authorities.
That's not likely to happen, as the Mexico City government is run by López Obrador's Democratic Revolution Party and has supported the demonstrators at every turn.
Mexico's Federal Electoral Institute has conservative Felipe Calderón, of the ruling National Action party, beating López Obrador by 244,000 votes out of nearly 42 million.
"We accept the decision unconditionally," Calderón spokesman César Nava said.
López Obrador contends the election was fraught with irregularities and that Calderón becoming the next president on Dec. 1 would amount to an electoral coup d'etat.
Judges disagreed.
Defending procedures set up a decade ago to end Mexico's institutionalized tradition of vote fraud, tribunal president Leonel Castillo said the system's checks and balances safeguard elections.
While there almost will certainly be mistakes, Castillo said, the system itself is beyond reproach.
The tribunal has until Sept. 6 to declare a winner in the election or annul it and call for another. There's no appeal.
If the partial audit turns up widespread irregularities or dramatically narrows Calderón's lead, the tribunal could call for a fuller recount.
Castillo's language suggests that is not likely, said John Ackerman, an expert on electoral law at the National Autonomous University.
"They are sending a very broad signal that they are not going to take a very broad look at the conditions of the election," he said. "Actually, they are trying as hard as they can not to have a full recount."
How far López Obrador's supporters will go is unknown. Some fear things could get nasty.
Emilio Serrano, a federal congressman from López Obrador's party, outlined a path of peaceful resistance, even if it hurts.
"We are prepared to give our lives for democracy in Mexico," he shouted through a megaphone to the crowd gathered outside the tribunal. "We are willing to let our blood flow."
He said they would stand their ground.
"We are not going to kill Mexicans, nor are we going to fight the army with bullets," he said. "We won't answer the aggression, but we will allow them to attack us and let our blood flow if necessary."
Word of the ruling had only begun to filter into the city's central plaza by mid afternoon.
Few of the thousands of López Obrador supporters, who have been camped there as part of a protest, seemed concerned.
As they awaited instructions from their leader, they passed the time dancing, eating, playing, gossiping or just walking around.
"Dancing against fraud," an announcer shouted to the crowd as a contest began to see who supposedly would later perform for López Obrador.
Smells of cooking food mingled with wet clothes, unwashed bodies and incense.
"We know they are going to use the army to try and kick us out, but there are more of us, so we will resist," said José Agapito, 54, a medical doctor carrying his 4-year-old granddaughter on his shoulders.
"There is a difference between resisting fraud and resisting soldiers," he said. "If the army comes, it will be ugly."
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The Houston Chronicle's Dudley Althaus and Marion Lloyd contributed to this report.
dschiller@express-news.net
Seems that Obrador learned his lesson well from Governor C.
G. during his visit to Washington State.
This is the fairest election in history? Or whatever the peanut farmer called it.
Jack
He should be arrested.
Old Mexico Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Do you think this guy's followers are not going to fight the army with bullets? It's fine for him "not to answer the agression", but I wonder how many of his followers will "let their blood flow if necessary"
"Smells of cooking food mingled with wet clothes, unwashed bodies and incense."
Are they getting this mixed up with Mother Sheehan's current "protest" down in Crawford, TX? LOL!
Obrador should concede, grow a beard, gain 50 pounds and endorse Howard Dean for president.
Did Carter 'certify' this election? If so- maybe L'Abrador ain't barking up the wrong tree after all- appearances of Al Gore temper tantrums notwithstanding.
He could forget about the beard, gain 75 lbs... and make a movie about global warming?
You got it! We are Mexico's dumping ground. And perhaps Cuba's too. I live in S Florida and if Castro dies then every Cuban worth a damn will take a boat to Cuba and bring back family. Same as happened with the Mariel boatlift. What a damnable mess!
You know the Democrats would have just loved to pull the same sh!t is Florida 2000. This one wasn't even close.
And this is exactly what will come to America if we do not get them out. Not amnesty, not "guest worker." They are third world peasants and can not exist in America following American laws and engaging in the American way of life.
Get them out. Ship them back. Build the wall and triple the BP. Triple the inspectors at the Ports of Entry. Cut off all education, housing, welfare and medical to the illegals here.
Do it while we still have a nation left to do it in.
When did the Rainbow Family show up?
Center for American Progress, Soros, Hillary and others are taking notes.
Think I remember a statement from him about it, but I could be wrong.
Jack
Yeah, Florida's nice till you pass Jacksonville heading south then everything goes to hell.
If this is such an "honest" election, I wonder what the big deal about a recount is all about?
It's all about standards of proof. If you are ruthless about it, there is never enough proof that you lost. As long as you refuse to accept defeat, you haven't lost yet and that means that you still could win.That was the game that Gore played in Florida in 2000. Nothing patriotic about it, just power.
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