Mexico's Leftist Candidate Files Criminal Complaint Against Election Authorities

Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Associated Press

MEXICO CITY — Leftist presidential hopeful Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador filed a criminal complaint against top Mexican election officials, his latest challenge to the July 2 vote he apparently lost by a hair to the conservative candidate Felipe Calderon.

The complaint, filed with the Federal Attorney General's Office on Tuesday, argues that nine senior officials failed to stop business groups from funding advertisements against the leftist.

The ads, which portrayed the leftist as a "danger to Mexico" and compared him to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, broke electoral regulations, said Lopez Obrador aide Horacio Duarte who handed in the complaint.

"They sowed fear in the citizens about the option that (Lopez Obrador) represents," Duarte said.

Duarte argues that by failing to stop the adverts, the officials committed electoral crimes punishable by up to six years in prison. Federal prosecutors will examine the complaint and decide if they will file criminal charges.

Calderon, who says the vote was clean, has offered to meet with Lopez Obrador — a gesture the leftist rejected.