Mexico faces uncertainty amid recount call

Jul 4, 4:14 AM EDT
By MARK STEVENSON
Associated Press Writer

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexico faced weeks and possibly months of uncertainty after the leftist presidential candidate called for a recount of election results that showed him trailing his conservative rival by 1 percentage point.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stopped short of calling Sunday's vote a fraud, nor did he call on his followers to take the streets. But he said there were many irregularities, including up 3 million missing votes - claims that could take months to clear up.

Electoral officials said a preliminary count gave Felipe Calderon an advantage of about 400,000 votes over Lopez Obrador, but they refused to declare a winner until an official count begins Wednesday. That process usually takes about a week, but it can be delayed by challenges. Even if a winner is declared, those results can be challenged in court.

Both candidates, however, immediately proclaimed victory.