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Mexico court rules on election Mexico court rules on election
(41 minutes later)
Mexico's top electoral court is considering a draft recommendation to declare Felipe Calderon president-elect as it rules on July's disputed poll. A majority of the judges sitting on Mexico's top electoral court have so far voted in favour of declaring Felipe Calderon the country's president-elect.
The Federal Electoral Tribunal heard that the final count gave Mr Calderon a 233,831 lead over Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador out of 41.6m votes cast. Four of the seven judges have ruled, guaranteeing Mr Calderon's victory in the bitterly disputed July election.
The judges still have to decide whether the 2 July election was fair. Final results presented to the Federal Electoral Tribunal gave Mr Calderon a 233,831 lead over Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador out of 41.6m votes cast.
There have been weeks of protests by supporters of Mr Lopez Obrador who has alleged widespread electoral fraud. His supporters have held weeks of protests to back his claims of fraud.
The judges, who began their session at 1300 GMT, are issuing their arguments on whether Mr Calderon, candidate of the governing National Action Party (PAN), should be declared president-elect. The judges, who began their session at 1300 GMT, are issuing their arguments on whether Mr Calderon, candidate of the governing National Action Party (PAN), should be declared president-elect or whether the election should be annulled, as requested by Mr Lopez Obrador.
The seven-strong panel must vote on the result and rule on whether the election was valid or should be annulled. Giving her opinion, Judge Alfonsina Berta Navarro said the court had found evidence of problems but not enough to annul the election.
Lopez Obrador supporters were hoping for a reversal of the result
"There are no perfect elections," she said.
The recommendation to declare Mr Calderon president-elect was greeted by fireworks, set off by protesters who had gathered outside the building in Mexico City.
Last week, the judges threw out Mr Lopez Obrador's claims the election had been riddled with fraud.Last week, the judges threw out Mr Lopez Obrador's claims the election had been riddled with fraud.
They oversaw a partial recount that knocked just a few thousand votes from governing party candidate Mr Calderon's narrow lead over his leftists rival.They oversaw a partial recount that knocked just a few thousand votes from governing party candidate Mr Calderon's narrow lead over his leftists rival.
The next president is due to take office on 1 December. The next president is due to take office on 1 December for a single six-year term.
Growing protestsGrowing protests
The court's ruling is unlikely to end the bitter political divide that began to emerge during the election campaign nor stop the demonstrations by Mr Lopez Obrador's supporters, correspondents say.
As the day of the ruling approached, protests in favour of Mr Lopez Obrador escalated.As the day of the ruling approached, protests in favour of Mr Lopez Obrador escalated.
Weeks of waiting for both candidates are about to end
Last 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.Last 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.
Weeks of waiting for both candidates will end on Tuesday
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.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.He has already hinted at establishing a parallel government.
Mr Calderon has spoken of the need to bring Mexicans together.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".He said last week he remained cautious, but the judges' decision "satisfies me enormously".