Mexican opposition leader leaves coalition

MEXICO CITY - Mexican opposition leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Sunday announced that he had left the three-party coalition and was considering creating a new party.

During a rally in Mexico City's largest public square, Obrador said he quit the left-wing parties of the Progressive Movement's coalition, including the Democratic Revolution Party, the Labor Party and the Citizen Movement, which nominated him as the candidate for the July 1 election.

"I separate from the Progressive Movement's political parties. I deeply thank their leaders and their followers. This is not a rupture, but a way to get back on the path to a real change, I leave in the best of terms, "said the opposition leader.

If a new party should be created, it will be decided during a national congress of his political group called  "Regeneration National Movement" in November, he said, adding that the coalition doesn't represent the interests of the majority of the Mexicans who want peaceful changes.

Before thousands of followers, Obrador said his political movement "has always been and will remain being peaceful", adding that "it will also continue being an open space for all the trends of thought".

The Mexican opposition leader refused again to recognize Enrique Pena Nieto as president-elect who will assume the presidency on Dec 1. Nieto emerged as the winner of the July 1 election.

After the election, Obrador demanded the Electoral Tribunal to invalidate the elections, arguing that elections were not equitable and that many of Nieto's votes were bought.

The tribunal confirmed Pena Nieto's victory days ago.