Mexico's president-elect met by hordes of protesters in first public trip in home state

ASSOCIATED PRESS

MEXICO CITY – Mexican President-elect Felipe Calderon was greeted by hordes of protesters during his first public events in his home state of Michoacan on Friday, but did not cancel any of the activities as Mexican news media earlier reported, a spokeswoman said.

Calderon, confirmed by the nation's top electoral court earlier this week as the victor in the July 2 election, changed the order of his schedule to accommodate state members of his conservative National Action Party, who arrived early at an auditorium in the state capital, Morelia, the spokeswoman said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.

Calderon initially had planned to meet with the party members after placing a floral offering at the monument of Mexican independence hero Jose Maria Morelos in an outdoor plaza in the capital, the spokeswoman said. Instead, he went to the auditorium first and to the plaza later, she said.

Mexican news media reported on their Web sites that Calderon canceled the floral offering because at least 100 protesters, including teachers allied with Lopez Obrador's Democratic Revolution Party, showed up at the plaza, screaming negative epithets over a bullhorn. The news reports said Calderon's security team decided it was not wise to continue the event, even though the plaza was heavily guarded by state police and members of the presidential security force.