Original source URL: http://news.monstersandcritics.com/southamerica/article_1193284.php/Fox_Calderon_winner_but_government_would_use_force_if_need_be Americas News Fox: Calderon winner, but government would use force if need be Aug 22, 2006, 16:56 GMT Mexico City - Mexican president Vicente Fox believes that his party colleague Felipe Calderon is the winner of July's presidential vote, and says that post election conflicts brewing since then will not endanger the country's stability and democracy. But in an interview with German correspondents late Monday, he also made clear that the government would make sure he can make an important speech before parliament on September 1 and would use force if necessary to keep access open from blockades erected by protestors. Fox has kept an unusually low profile since the July elections, which gave Calderon only a 0.58 per cent lead over leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the one-time mayor of Mexico City. In the interview, Fox called Felipe Calderon, who like Fox is a member of the National Action Party, the clear winner of the election. And he said that he anticipates the street protests by supporters of the failed leftist candidate will come to an end in a few days. For three weeks Lopez Obrador's supporters have blocked the city's main square and street in the capital with a tent city. Last week's attempt to block access to parliament was turned back for the first time by security forces, who erected barricades and used tear gas to push back protesters. Lopez Obrador has vowed to disrupt Fox's last state of the nation speech to parliament on September 1, and to continue the barricades until at least September 16, when Mexico celebrates its independence day and large parades normally move through the streets currently occupied by protestors. Fox said his government had allowed the electoral process to run its natural course. But he made clear the government would guarantee his ability to appear at parliament on September 1 and that the office will be handed over to his successor on December 1. 'This is our responsibility and and we will fulfil it,' Fox said, vowing that public force will be used if necessary. Lopez Obrador has charged fraud and demanded a total recount. The electoral court, which has ordered a partial recount, must resolve the conflict by August 31, and name a president elect by September 6. 'The electoral court will make its decision and it will be final,' Fox said. 'Then everyone will return to work. If a party and its candidate want to continue the campaign, they can do so, but within the rule of law.' Fox characterized the organized protests as purely a local occurrence. 'The rest of the country has absolute calm,' he said. © 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur -- -------------------------------------------------------- Escaping the Matrix website http://escapingthematrix.org/ cyberjournal website http://cyberjournal.org subscribe cyberjournal list mailto:•••@••.••• Posting archives http://cyberjournal.org/show_archives/ Blogs: cyberjournal forum http://cyberjournal-rkm.blogspot.com/ Achieving real democracy http://harmonization.blogspot.com/ for readers of ETM http://matrixreaders.blogspot.com/ Community Empowerment http://empowermentinitiatives.blogspot.com/ Blogger made easy http://quaylargo.com/help/ezblogger.html
