Leftist has surprise lead in Mexico recount drama

Leftist demonstrations have broken out in Mexico City. Picture / Reuters

MEXICO CITY - A leftist anti-poverty campaigner took a slim lead over his conservative rival in a dramatic recount of Mexico's presidential election vote on Wednesday and warned the country's stability was at stake.

In scenes reminiscent of the Florida recount in the US presidential vote in 2000, the divided nation bit its nails as partial returns showed Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador overtaking Felipe Calderon, who finished a fraction ahead in the initial count.

Lopez Obrador, the former mayor of Mexico City, was ahead of pro-US lawyer Calderon by about 2 percentage points in the recount of 75 per cent of polling stations but it was still too early to declare a victor from Sunday's vote.

Protests broke out in the capital earlier on Wednesday to press home claims that the leftist was the victim of fraud in the preliminary count.

Lopez Obrador warned electoral authorities to be thorough in the recount, expected to last about a day.

"The stability of the country is at stake," he said.

The Harvard-educated Calderon would be an ally of the United States in Latin America, where left-wing leaders critical of Washington have taken power in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela in recent years.

Lopez Obrador, a former Indian welfare officer, has promised to renegotiate a North American trade pact to block cheap US corn and beans entering Mexico as of 2008.

Luis Carlos Ugalde, the head of the Federal Electoral Institute, or IFE, refereeing the contest, warned the recount result would be a cliffhanger.

"The margin of difference is undoubtedly going to be very tight at the end," he said. "Lopez Obrador may be ahead but that could increase or decrease," he said.

The initial preliminary results earlier this week had given Calderon, a former energy minister, a lead of 0.6 points but Lopez Obrador's Party of the Democratic Revolution complained of irregularities and possibly fraud.

Leftist demonstrations broke out in the capital's huge Zocalo square, in a main road leading to the business district and outside the IFE's building where recount results were being announced.

"Obrador, Obrador," protesters at the electoral building shouted. A few demonstrators tried to break down the gates to get in but were stopped by other leftists.

The stock index plunged 4 per cent and the peso also fell against the dollar because of the political tension.

Results of the recount on display at the IFE showed Lopez Obrador had 36.80 per cent of the vote with figures in from three-quarters of polling stations. Calderon, from the ruling National Action Party, was second with just over 34.61 per cent.

Mexico could face two months of legal battles over the results and street protests have raised fears of unrest in a young democracy that is key to US interests over immigration, drug smuggling and security.

Mexico's electoral court has to rule on vote disputes by August 31 and declare a winner by September 6.

- REUTERS