Mexico's Calderon Begins Forming Gov't

AP ^ | 9/6/6 | WILL WEISSERT

[SmithL]

MEXICO CITY -- Newly declared President-elect Felipe Calderon began building his government Wednesday and his supporters called on backers of leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to end weeks of national protests over the disputed July 2 election.

Calderon held a series of private meetings early Wednesday and was scheduled to meet with President Vicente Fox later in the day to discuss the transition to his new government and next year's budget, said Fox's spokesman, Ruben Aguilar.

Aguilar said President Bush called Fox early Wednesday to congratulate him on the end of a lengthy electoral process and the "strength of Mexico's democracy."

But weeks of angry rhetoric and tensions were likely to continue, as Lopez Obrador vowed to never recognize Calderon as Mexico's leader and said he would instead create his own parallel government. Trying to counter more than a month of protest camps in favor of Lopez Obrador, Calderon's supporters planned to form a human chain Wednesday to urge the nation to support a peaceful transition.

Civic groups and unions published full-page ads in Mexico's principal newspapers Wednesday calling for peace and unity.

In an interview late Tuesday with Mexico's Televisa television network, Calderon said he would begin forming a government "immediately" but would take his time choosing a Cabinet, announcing his choices "very likely in the hours close to the swearing-in" on Dec. 1.

[xcamel]

Time for ObraGore to go to the last round-up.

[50sDad]

I forget, is the new guy a Lib or a Conservative, or an anarchist?

[evets]

Don't need to be snippy. - El Gore

[Joe Boucher]

A Mexican

[rovenstinez]

He is like a Mexican Republican, he understands business. The other guy spent his holidays in Cuba on the beach.

[xcamel]

Calderon is the good guy.....

[CAWats]

But weeks of angry rhetoric and tensions were likely to continue, as Lopez Obrador vowed to never recognize Calderon as Mexico's leader and said he would instead create his own parallel government.

In his own parallel universe.

[CAWats]

Obrador, president of the parallel government, said that the first thing he'd like to do is meet with Geena Davis, president of the parallel government of the United States.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

I forget, is the new guy a Lib or a Conservative, or an anarchist?

Mexico was run for seventy years or so by the PRI, which was pretty authoritarian and populist. After a serious try which failed, PAN finally broke through with Vicente Fox. Mexican presidents are term-limited so Fox couldn't run for reelection, but PAN was able (just barely) to win the race to succeed him. No Mexican is gonna make the world forget Ronald Reagan, but comparatively at least, PAN is their version of Republican. Only to the left of John McCain . . .