Mexico court set for poll ruling

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Mexico's top electoral court says it will convene on Tuesday to rule on the contested presidential election.

The Federal Electoral Tribunal is widely expected to announce the 2 July poll was fair, and declare Felipe Calderon president-elect.

This follows weeks of protests by supporters of his rival Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The court last week threw out the left-wing candidate's claims the election had been riddled with fraud.

The judges, whose ruling is final, could decide to annul the election.

But a partial recount overseen by the seven-strong panel knocked just 4,000 votes from ruling party candidate Mr Calderon's narrow lead of 244,000.

The judges decided there had been no massive fraud.

The court officially has until Wednesday to declare its verdict.

On Monday, it said it would hold a public session at 0800 local time (1300 GMT) on Tuesday to give its final rulings, Reuters news agency reported.

Growing protests

As the decision date approaches, protests in favour of Mr Lopez Obrador have escalated.

On Friday, there were chaotic scenes in the Congress when dozens of his deputies took over the podium and prevented President Vicente Fox from making his state-of-the-nation speech.

Thousands of Mexicans turned out again on Sunday at a rally in Mexico City in which Mr Lopez Obrador declared he would go ahead and set up what he called a "national democratic convention" in two weeks' time.

He has already hinted at establishing a parallel government.

Mr Calderon has spoken of the need to bring Mexicans together.

He said last week he remained cautious, but the judges' decision "satisfies me enormously".