Felipe Calderon of the ruling National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in as president of Mexico on Friday, facing an aggressive Chamber of Deputies, many of whom believe he fixed the nation's July elections.

 

Members of elite soldiers, The Presidential Staff, sneaked Calderon in through a door at the back of the chamber's stage in a move that smacked of a conjuring trick. Mexican television had showed Calderon leaving his home only seconds before he suddenly appeared alongside Vicente Fox, who left office on Thursday.

 

Calderon gave his oath in seconds and disappeared the way he came. PAN deputies began a chant of "Si se pudo" (He could do it), celebrating the sleight of hand.

 

The swearing in came shortly after Jorge Zermeno, the head of the chamber of deputies, had formally opened proceedings even though deputies were jeering and pushing each other.

 

PAN deputies had occupied the stage for three days to prevent opposition Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) deputies from occupying it. The PRD had sworn to prevent Calderon's inauguration.

 

In an unusual move, Calderon received the presidential sash a few seconds after midnight from Fox in televised, but not public, handover of power.

 

Elsewhere, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the former PRD candidate for the presidency known as AMLO in Mexico, marched to the National Auditorium, in Mexico City, where Calderon is due to deliver a message to the nation.

 

The Auditorium is heavily guarded by Presidential Staff troops, which has a garrison nearby.

 

Earlier in the day, in Mexico City's central Constitution Square, better known as the Zocalo, AMLO told a crowd of thousands of his supporters that "the people will not accept imposition or fraud."

 

Official results say that AMLO lost the July 2 elections by 0.56 percentage points, but the PRD candidate insists this was a massive fraud.

 

Obrador told supporters that they are not responsible for the political conflict, but, "it is them. They violated the constitution and did not respect the will of the people. They imposed (a president) in a coup d'etat and are now living the consequences."

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2006)