GRANMA
August 31, 2006

Month Long Protest Alleging Fraud in Mexico

MEXICO CITY, August 30.-A month after supporters of opposition
presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador peacefully took
over several plazas and avenues in the Mexican capital to demand a
vote-by-vote recount of the July 2 balloting, the protest appears to
maintain the vitality of day one.

Thousands have remained firm in their month long protests.

While thus far the Federal Electoral Tribunal has rejected claims of
massive fraud in the voting process, and may be close to naming
governing party candidate Felipe Calderon as president, the
sympathizers of Lopez Obrador vow to continue their struggle as long
as necessary.

Demonstrators have stepped up their activities geared to increase
public awareness of their cause, holding Round Table discussions,
improvised speakers' platforms, public conferences, and artistic and
cultural activities nightly. In their encampments, protesters display
murals, texts, paintings, drawings and cartoons that describe the
political situation in their country.

Interspersed in the camps, set up to demand respect for democracy in
Mexico, are banners with slogans supporting Lopez Obrador of the
Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) and demanding a recount of
the vote that the coalition believes was fraudulent and gave National
Action Party (PAN) candidate Felipe Calderon a 0.57 percent
unofficial margin of victory.

Cold, rain and even hail has fallen on those camped out in the tents,
who are organized in shifts to enable some to work and others to
return to school.

Leonel Cota, president of the PRD, said the only thing left to do is
maintain and escalate the protest.