MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Another chapter in Mexico's power struggle.

Mexico City Mayor Andres Lopez Obrador announced Sunday during a massive support rally that this Monday he will return to office from which he has been absent since Congress last April 7 stripped him of immunity from prosecution.

"Tomorrow (Monday) I'll be back in my office", said Mr. Lopez Obrador addressing a rally estimated in a million people who marched in downtown Mexico City to support the Mayor and his right to run for the presidential office next year.

Mr. Lopez Obrador faces prosecution for allegedly defying a court order to halt construction of a road leading to a hospital on disputed land and it's not clear whether the Congressional decision means his automatic ousting of office or the end of the judicial process. However the Attorney General's Office which pressed the charge interprets he has been ousted and has warned that if Mr. Lopez Obrador returns to office they "will proceed".

The mayor has consistently said he is innocent of the charges and that the case, "sponsored" by the ruling party of President Vicente Fox is part of a plot to sideline him from next year's elections which public opinion polls show him winning by an ample margin.

Furthermore the Legislative Council of Mexico City (dominated by Mr. Lopez Obrador party) has presented a constitutional dispute against the Congressional stripping of immunity before Mexico's Supreme Court which still has to rule on the case.

"Legally I'm still Mayor since I was democratically elected, but also because no case has been began and the Supreme Court has yet to rule in the city's Assembly appeal", said Mr. Lopez Obrador.

Javier Vega Deputy Attorney General and who presented before Congress the impeachment request against the Mayor for defying court orders warned that if Mr. Lopez Obrador takes office again his decisions will "not be legally valid".

Last Friday a Judge denied the Attorney General Office's request forcing Mr. Lopez Obrador to go before the Judge because of "procedural errors".