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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | September 2006 
Fox to Face Political Foes at "Grito"
 Chris Aspin - Reuters
| Tens of thousands of Mexicans fight for a place in the Zocalo every year for the grito, in which the president rings a bell and bellows historical calls for independence from Spain.
(AP/Gregory Bull) |
President Vicente Fox is determined to lead Mexico's independence celebrations on Friday, setting up a possible clash with leftist political foes who have taken over the capital's main square.
Fox will give the traditional cry of independence, known here as the "grito," from a balcony of the national palace that overlooks the Zocalo square, his spokesman said on Monday.
Tens of thousands of Mexicans fight for a place in the Zocalo every year for the grito, in which the president rings a bell and bellows historical calls for independence from Spain.
It is the highlight of a huge, raucous street party, at which foreigners are not welcome.
But supporters of leftist leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador have set up a sprawling tent village in the square and hold daily rallies to press the former Mexico City mayor's contention that widespread fraud robbed him of victory in the July presidential vote.
Lopez Obrador has called for even more supporters to gather at the Zocalo on Friday. With Lopez Obrador saying Fox is part of the fraud that led his party's candidate, Felipe Calderon, to victory, Fox is at least likely to be heckled.
Fox spokesman Ruben Aguilar said no special security measures were planned and no problems expected. "We will be there for the grito," he told reporters. "Take your trumpets and hats to celebrate."
He said, "The square belongs to all Mexicans, not one group of Mexicans ... and we invite everyone to join us. The heroes of this country are not one person's patrimony, they are the patrimony of all Mexicans."
The annual celebration of independence is repeated across Mexico and some political analysts had speculated that Fox might lead the "grito" elsewhere in the country to avoid a confrontation.
The leftist has sidestepped another possible flashpoint by telling his supporters to "step aside" to allow a highly symbolic military parade to take place on Saturday.
The annual parade starts in the square and then moves down the main Reforma boulevard, where Lopez Obrador supporters are also camping out and causing daily traffic gridlock that has infuriated commuters and local business.
An electoral court named Calderon president-elect last week, throwing out Lopez Obrador's claims of widespread vote rigging. The judges' ruling cannot be appealed and the conservative will take office on December 1.
A nasty election campaign and mass street protests have split Mexico between Lopez Obrador's mostly poor power base and supporters of Calderon from the wealthier classes. Calderon is calling for dialogue to bridge the divide. |
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