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Mexico court rules on election Calderon declared Mexico winner
(28 minutes later)
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. Mexico's top electoral court has declared Felipe Calderon president-elect after ruling on the validity of the 2 July election.
Four of the seven judges have ruled, guaranteeing Mr Calderon's victory in the bitterly disputed July election. The Federal Electoral Tribunal rejected claims by the losing candidate, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, that the election campaign had been unfair.
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. A final count gave Mr Calderon victory by 233,831 votes out of 41.6m cast.
His supporters have held weeks of protests to back his claims of fraud. Mr Lopez Obrador, whose supporters have staged widespread protests, has hinted he might set up a parallel government.
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 judges, who began their session at 1300 GMT, first heard a report on the final vote count, which maintained Mr Calderon's initial, slim lead.
Then, one-by-one, they gave their opinions 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.
Giving her opinion, Judge Alfonsina Berta Navarro said the court had found evidence of problems but not enough to annul the election.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 resultLopez Obrador supporters were hoping for a reversal of the result
"There are no perfect elections," she said."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. The judges criticised political advertising during the campaign and the conduct of outgoing President Vicente Fox, but said this was not enough to declare the poll void.
Last week, the judges threw out Mr Lopez Obrador's claims the election had been riddled with fraud. The judges' decision had been widely expected after they threw out Mr Lopez Obrador's claims the election had been riddled with fraud last week.
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 leftist rival.
The next president is due to take office on 1 December for a single six-year term.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. The court's ruling is unlikely to end the bitter political divide that began to emerge during the election campaign or 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 Weeks of waiting for both candidates have now ended
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 party's deputies took over the podium and prevented President 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.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".