Mexico's apparent presidential winner assembling new government

By E. Eduardo Castillo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
9:45 p.m. July 17, 2006
MEXICO CITY – The presumed top vote-getter in Mexico's presidential election said Monday he has begun putting together his government, even though the electoral court has yet to declare a winner in the disputed race.
Conservative Felipe Calderon, of President Vicente Fox's ruling National Action Party, led official returns from the July 2 election by about 244,000 votes – just 0.6 percentage points. Yet under Mexican law he cannot be declared president-elect until an electoral court deals with challenges to the vote.
The party of the runner-up, leftist former Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has filed an 836-page appeal alleging irregularities including ballot-stuffing, illicit government and corporate intervention.
The National Action Party has filed its own challenges, seeking to stretch Calderon's advantage.
The court must rule by Aug. 31 and declare a president-elect by Sept. 6.