[lbo-talk] Voto X Voto: Mexican activists target foreign banks in protest

[Dwayne Monroe]

And speaking of the Mexican election, don't forget to
visit listmember Julio Huato's blog, El Machete 2006
for analysis and commentary - 
http://machete2006.wordpress.com/

.d.

...


>From Reuters...

MEXICO CITY - Thousands of Mexican leftists blockaded
the offices of three major foreign-owned banks on
Wednesday in a new protest to force a full recount in
a July 2 presidential election they claim was rigged.

Protesters surrounded Mexico City offices of
U.S.-based Citigroup's Mexican unit Banamex, the
Bancomer bank owned by Spain's BBVA and the British
giant HSBC They sat on the ground around the buildings
and vowed to block access for several hours.

The leftists are backing Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador,
who narrowly lost the presidential vote to
conservative ruling party candidate Felipe Calderon
and claims it was rigged. 

Election officials were to begin a recount of votes
from 9 percent of polling stations on Wednesday in a
bid to clear up the allegations and calm a crisis that
has split the country.

But Lopez Obrador is demanding a full recount of all
41 million votes. His protesters have crippled Mexico
City for the last 10 days by setting up tents in its
Zocalo square and on the main boulevard running
through the business district.

They have vowed to extend the civil disobedience
campaign with surprise protests across the country
this week.

All but one of Mexico's major banks are in the hands
of foreign companies and the industry's sell-off has
been a symbol of free market reforms in Mexico, so
there was little surprise over the election
protesters' new choice of target.

[...]

full -

Original Link -

<http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=newsOne&storyID=2006-08-09T142814Z_01_N28358335_RTRUKOC_0_US-MEXICO-ELECTION.xml&WTmodLoc=Home-C2-TopNews-newsOne-10>

Shortened Link -

<http://makeashorterlink.com/?W5C32498D>