Convention plans start to take shape (Mexico)

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Andrés Manuel López Obra- dor has given up efforts to have himself declared winner of the July 2 presidential race, but he still plans to build a parallel government that will cater to the poor and keep alive his fight against President-elect Felipe Calderón, his party spokesman said Friday.

Since the Federal Electoral Tribunal rejected López Obrador´s allegations of widespread fraud, he has focused on a Sept. 16 convention in which supporters will likely declare him the leader of resistance government that will refuse to recognize Calderón and block him at every step, including his Dec. 1 inauguration.

"We are not going to let him take office," said Gerardo Fernández, the spokesman for López Obrador´s Democratic Revolution Party (PRD). "I don´t see the usurper government ... lasting for six years."

Fernández said the parallel government will fight for recognition in international forums and will launch street protests against free trade reforms and privatizations of government enterprises. It will also set up a still-unspecified capital, form a Cabinet and set policy.

http://www.mexiconews.com.mx/20262.html