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Fracas mars Mexico inauguration Fracas mars Mexico inauguration
(about 1 hour later)
Rowdy scenes have erupted in Mexico's Congress an hour before Felipe Calderon is due to be sworn in as president. Felipe Calderon has been sworn in as Mexico's president to jeers, after brawls in Congress between lawmakers, divided by the nation's tight election.
Deputies seized the speaker's platform and tried to block the doors of the chamber. Punches were thrown. Just an hour before the ceremony, deputies seized the speaker's platform and blocked the doors of the chamber.
Members of the left-wing party, the PRD, say Mr Calderon won July's presidential election by fraud. Members of the left-wing Democratic Revolution Party say Mr Calderon, a conservative, won July's poll by fraud.
The disorder followed an unusual midnight ceremony in which the outgoing President, Vicente Fox, handed over power to Mr Calderon. The row followed an unusual midnight ceremony in which the outgoing president handed power to Mr Calderon.
In the closed-door ceremony, Mr Fox handed the presidential sash to a military cadet to signify the end of his term in office. In the closed-door ceremony, Vicente Fox handed over power to Mr Calderon, who described the event as the start of the process of taking possession of the presidency.
He is not coming in the front entrance - thieves come in through the back door Mexican deputy Adriana Diaz The situation here at Congress isn't worrisome - these things happen all over the world Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolanos
Mr Calderon described the event as the start of the process of taking possession of the presidency. However, opposition deputies argued that Mr Calderon could not become president without taking the oath of office, as outlined in Mexico's constitution.
However, opposition deputies argue he cannot become president without taking the oath of office, as outlined in Mexico's constitution. Surrounded by ruling party lawmakers and flanked by Mr Fox, the new president swore to uphold the constitution.
Mr Calderon's spokesman has said the incoming president still plans to come to the Congress to complete his swearing-in. The national anthem was played, and the new president was ushered out of the chamber, as ruling party deputies cheered: "He did it!"
But the BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Mexico City says whether he can finish the constitutional process in front of the nation at the building intended for it is now in some doubt. Dignitaries who arrived amid the chaos included Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolanos, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"The situation here at Congress isn't worrisome. These things happen all over the world," Mr Bolanos said.
Parallel governmentParallel government
Barricading the main doors to the lower house, deputy Adriana Diaz said: "Calderon is not coming in here, we are going to stop him. Felipe Calderon says he will complete the swearing inThe Democratic Revolution Party - whose candidate, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, lost the run-off by half a percentage point - has massed crowds of supporters in the capital.
Felipe Calderon says he will complete the swearing in"He is not coming in the front entrance. Thieves come in through the back door." Mr Lopez Obrador, who claims he was robbed of the presidency, said he plans to march peacefully with his supporters to the national auditorium, where Mr Calderon is to address the nation.
The Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) - whose candidate, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, lost the run-off by half a percentage point - has also massed crowds of supporters in the capital. Thousands of riot police have been deployed.
Thousands of riot police have been deployed around Congress to prevent them from moving in.
Mr Lopez Obrador last week launched a "parallel government" in Mexico City and held an unofficial swearing-in ceremony.Mr Lopez Obrador last week launched a "parallel government" in Mexico City and held an unofficial swearing-in ceremony.