La Prensa: New Type of Election Fraud Alleged in Mexico

Trade Union Leaders Say Government Diverted $227 Million From Educational Programs To Finance Calderon's Campaign

PLUS: An update from the protest in Mexico City
We almost missed this report from Prensa Latina, exposing claims of yet another way to "game" an election:

Mexico, Aug 2 (Prensa Latina) Independent trade union leaders have denounced an alleged fraud in the July 2 elections orchestrated by the president of the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE), Elba Esther Gordillo.

The leaders of the National Coordinate of Education Workers (CNTE) assert that the government of President Vicente Fox diverted funds from social programs to be handled by Gordillo for election ends.

Artemio Ortiz told a news conference in the western state of Michoacan that the funds amount to more than 227 million dollars, which were initially allocated to educational programs.

Ortiz added that the money was used to finance the New Alliance Party of grassroots educators, to support the official presidential candidate, Felipe Calderon, and to set up a network of representatives at the polling stations.

What will they think of next?

And how long will it take before we start seeing this sort of thing here?


We are talking about plundering SNTE funds, about a great theft of resources that were used to endorse an election fraud, he added.

Gordillo is the main figure behind the fraud, exerting her influence on the governors in northern Mexico and using SNTE sections as operators to promote the ultra-right candidate, he noted.

The union leader said that the files will be submitted to the special election crimes prosecutor in the Attorney General´s Office and to the Election Court of the Judicial Power of the Federation.

A special election crimes prosecutor. In the Attorney General's Office. Hmmm.

ALSO:
from AP via San Jose Mercury News: Election protesters rally in Mexico City

Leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador led thousands of protesters outside Mexico's top electoral court on Monday to demand a total recount in the presidential election, warning that he would start a long-term radical movement if the court did not agree.

The demonstration comes two days after the Federal Electoral Tribunal ruled that it would only recount ballots at about 9 percent of the nation's 130,000 polling places, where it said there was evidence that the vote may have been miscounted.

Lopez Obrador wants the court to recount all of the 41 million votes cast in the July 2 vote and warned there would be consequences if it didn't agree.

"What is going to happen if they ratify this imposition?" he said in an angry, somewhat hoarse voice to about 5,000 followers.

"Revolution!" his supporters replied with their fists in the air.

Read more.