Controversies of the 2006 Mexican general election

According to the official count, López Obrador held an advantage over Calderón right until 97.50% of the polling stations were counted, after which Calderón overtook the first place by a difference of less than 1% of the votes.
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The Mexican general election of July 2, 2006, was the most hotly contested election in Mexican history and as such, the results were controversial. According to the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE), the initial "Quick Count" determined the race was too close to call, and when the "Official Count" was complete, Felipe Calderón of the right-of-center National Action Party (PAN) had won by a difference of 243,934 votes (or 0.58%).[1] The runner-up, Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the left-of-center Coalition for the Good of All (PRD, PT, Convergence), immediately challenged the results and led massive marches, protests, and acts of civil resistance in Mexico City. On August 9, while protests continued to expand, a partial recount was undertaken by election officials after being ordered to do so by the country's Federal Electoral Tribunal (TEPJF, sometimes referred to by the acronym of its predecessor, the TRIFE). The tribunal ordered the recount of the polling stations that were ruled to have evidence of irregularities, which were about nine percent of the total.[2]

On September 5 the tribunal declared that Felipe Calderón met all the constitutional requirements in order to be elected, and was declared president-elect.[3] Some civil resistance acts led by Andrés Manuel López Obrador were maintained in an attempt to encourage a change in the country's opinion, as well as other activities such as a documentary by Mexican filmmaker Luis Mandoki.

  1. ^ "Estadística de las Elecciones Federales de 2006 - Elección de Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos". Instituto Federal Electoral. Archived from the original on 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2009-11-30. Total Nacional: PAN, 15,000,284; Alianza por México, 9,301,441; Alianza por el Bien de Todos, 14,756,350; Nueva Alianza, 401,804; Convergencia, 1,128,850; Candidatos no registrados, 297,989; Nulos, 904,604; Total, 41,791,322
  2. ^ "Mexican recount begins as protests expand". CBC News, 9 August 2006.
  3. ^ "Proponen magistrados declarar Presidente electo a Calderón". Carlos Avilés and Arturo Zárate. El Universal, 5 September 2006.