Politics: Mexican elections

In preparation the 2006 Mexican presidential elections, hundreds of thousands of Mexican citizens rallied in support of their favorite candidates. On July 2, about 41 million Mexican citizens voted for a president and members of congress. After an official vote count, Mexico's Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) gave victory to National Action Party candidate Felipe Calderón. On September 5, 2006 a special electoral court certified Calderón's victory, rejecting a request by Democratic Revolution Party candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador to annul the election. Calderon's slim victory caused massive protests in Mexico City around the country from Obrador supporters. Some of these protests lasted almost three months. Obrador said he refused to recognize the decision and would create an "alternate government" before the December 1st presidential inauguration.