The two front-runners in Mexico's closest presidential race in history
watched anxiously Thursday as an overnight vote tally recount saw the
conservative candidate Felipe Calderon catch up to his leftist rival and pass
him by a razor-thin margin.
Hundreds of Calderon supporters gathered at his campaign headquarters cheered
wildly with the news as the ruling-party candidate - who was shown winning
by 1 percentage point in the preliminary count completed earlier in the
week - emerged once again to declare victory.
Mexican presidential candidate, Felipe
Calderon of the National Action Party, PAN, celebrates with supporters at
his party's headquarters in Mexico City, Mexico on Thursday July 6, 2006.
Conservative Mexican presidential candidate has slight lead in vote
recount with 98 percent of votes
tallied.[AP]
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"We are ahead in the election for the presidency, and the
remaining votes to be counted will be in our favor," a smiling Calderon said to
applause and whistles from his followers.
His opponent, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, remained holed up at his home
awaiting the final vote count.
With nearly 98 percent of the vote tallies recounted, Calderon had 35.62
percent of the vote, while Lopez Obrador had 35.57. It was the first time since
counting began early Wednesday that Calderon held the lead. Mexico's electoral
officials said they would not announce any tendencies until the full count was
completed.
Both campaigns insisted throughout the day that they would triumph when the
final numbers came in, but asked their supporters to refrain from violence
whatever the result.
While thanking his supporters, Calderon also turned his attention to the
millions who did not vote for him, asking them "to give me a chance to win your
confidence."
Calling Sunday's election "the most democratic and cleanest in the history of
Mexico," Calderon asked his rival and all Mexicans to erase the bitter divisions
that arose during the lengthy campaign, and focus "not on our differences, but
on our similarities."
"Starting today, let's help Mexico begin a new era of peace, of
reconciliation," he said.
In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Calderon
offered to include Lopez Obrador in his Cabinet - an effort to build a
coalition government and avoid weeks of political impasse. But he said he did
not believe his rival would accept, adding that the two men had not spoken to
each other since Sunday's election.
Each campaign accused the other of trying to manipulate the vote counts to
favor their candidate, while electoral officials implored them to refrain from
declaring victory until the full count was complete.