1000s protest Mexico’s poll results - Gayo Lues

They chanted slogans against President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto, accusing him of buying votes, AFP reported on Sunday.

They marched through Mexico City, carrying placards that read, “Winning by cheating is not winning at all and is illegal,” and, “You launder money, we are cleaning our consciences.”

The protesters also called on the independent Federal Electoral Institute to intervene, saying Pena Nieto’s victory in the July 1 elections was being “imposed” on the country.

“Mexico didn’t vote for fraud. Mexico wants a country that is honest and democratic,” said 26-year-old Marlem Munoz, a student at Mexico’s National Autonomous University, adding, “What happened in the elections was a total mockery directed at the Mexican people.”

The protest march, organized by the #YoSoy132 student movement, drew around 15,000 people, according to a government public security official.

Pena Nieto’s victory returned presidential power to the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) after 12 years. The party once ruled Mexico for seven decades.

Pena Nieto is scheduled to take office in December, replacing Felipe Calderon of the conservative National Action Party (PAN), who is barred by the constitution from running for a second term.

Leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador finished second, but has refused to admit defeat, accusing Pena Nieto of stealing the presidency.

Pena Nieto denies allegations of electoral fraud and PRI officials have threatened to sue Lopez Obrador over the accusations. He won the elections by 6.6 percentage points, while Lopez Obrador finished with 31.6 percent of the ballots.

Earlier in the month, Mexican electoral authorities announced a recount of 54.5 percent of the votes.

Lopez Obrador, who led major protests after the 2006 presidential polls, has so far avoided calling for protests directly. He has, however, said he is collecting evidence of fraud to give to officials and called on the PAN to join forces with him to take legal action.

Mexico’s electoral tribunal is to evaluate any complaints by September and officially name the country’s new president.

MN/AS/HN