MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mexico City's Mayor king of the political arena

Mexico City's Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador hailed President Vicente Fox' decision to shelve criminal charges against him, thus clearing the way for the most popular candidate to run in next year's presidential election

Under strong pressure to defuse the growing political confrontation, President Fox in a national television address Wednesday announced he had accepted the resignation of Rafael Macedo de la Concha, the Attorney General who had been pushing the case against Mr. Lopez Obrador who is accused of breaching a court order. Mr. Fox promised that a new Attorney General would review the case "exhaustively".

Presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar questioned in Government House on the extent of Mr. Fox's speech admitted that the case is on its way to be shelved. "You could say that it has (been shelved)", replied Mr. Aguilar.

The front runner in the 2006 presidential race said the firing of the Attorney General would improve the political atmosphere in Mexico. Actually huge crowds turned out to the streets of Mexico City last Sunday to rally support for Mr. Lopez Obrador who would have been barred from running if found guilty. He's accused of disobeying a court order by building a link road to a hospital in a disputed plot of land.

Mr. Fox also promised he would present a bill to change the law that would have barred Mr. Lopez Obrador from running for the presidential office. As in most countries, Mexico should accept the principle of presumption of innocence in criminal cases, meaning that citizens facing charges could still be able to run for election.

"My government won't stop anyone from taking part in the forthcoming federal elections" emphasized President Fox.

The presidential decision "will encourage dialogue, improve the legality of decision making and strengthen our democratic institutions", pointed out Mexico City's mayor who nevertheless insisted that efforts to indict him had been political rather than legal, and highlighted that the "power of the people had brought abut the change".

The former Attorney General Macedo de la Concha said that the "current situation of the country required I resign for love of the country".

Mr. Lopez Obrador who belongs to the left wing Party of Democratic Revolution, PRD, since taking office in December 2000 has become the country's most popular politician and last Sunday organized one of the biggest marches ever seen in Mexico, over a million people peacefully concentrating in the heart of Mexico City and thus creating the turning point for the political confrontation with the ruling PAN of President Fox.

However the Institutional Revolutionary Party, the largest political grouping in the country and currently in the opposition, accused President Fox of mismanagement. "The country is in chaos, in domestic policy and in foreign policy", said Roberto Madrazo, said PRI leader.

"Mr. Fox should concentrate on solving the nation's problems, steer clear of controversy and keep out of electoral affairs", underlined Mr. Madrazo.