MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mexico's outgoing and incoming presidents “under siege”

Mexican President Vicente Fox called for dialogue Wednesday as supporters of leftist presidential candidate pledged to place his rival “under siege” if he is finally declared winner of the disputed poll.

Fox's appeal comes two weeks before he is scheduled to deliver his state of the nation address before Congress, an event that the opposition led by presidential hopeful Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador plans to boycott with street demonstrations.

"I once again call on each and every citizen, on the different political actors in the country, to seek unity and dialogue together, to defend democracy and the institutions together," Fox said during an official ceremony.

Left wing presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and his supporters argue that is precisely what they are doing with their demonstrations - defending democratic institutions they claim are being undermined by electoral fraud.

A spokesman for Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's Democratic Revolution Party said Conservative Felipe Calderon from the ruling National Action Party, PAN, would not be able to operate outside his office if he was made president. Mr Lopez Obrador disputes the official results which give a narrow victory to his rival and is demanding a full recount, vote by vote of the 41 million ballots.

Mexican election officials have until September 6 to declare a president-elect or annul the election. If declared the victor, Mr Calderon "will be a president under siege... he will not be able to operate outside his office", said Gerardo Fernandez, of the PRD.

Protesters have also pledged to disrupt outgoing President Fox's last state-of-the-nation address on September first. The day "will not be a picnic", Mr Fernandez promised.

However Presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar underlined that in Mexico "laws are enforced" as security was further tightened around Congress with federal riot police and armoured water cannons.

Lopez Obrador's supporters clashed with police outside the Congress building on Tuesday, for the first time since they began camping out in Mexico City in protest at the election result. At least eight people were injured in the scuffles which only lasted a few minutes but saw police use batons and teargas to break up the crowd.

Mexico City Public Safety Secretary Joel Ortega, who is in charge of the capital's police force, expressed his "concern and rejection over the presence of the armoured cars at San Lazaro, because there should be a commitment by everyone to avoid violence".

Mexico City is ruled by Lopez Obrador's PRD and is his main political bastion.

Mr. Aguilar said federal police will be protecting the seat of Congress, "which is federal" while Mexico City's police should be providing security in the streets.

Lopez Obrador supporters have also scheduled a great patriotic celebration on Independence Day, September 15/16 in downtown where demonstrators have set up at least 47 "civil resistance" camps.

The official Mexican calendar indicates that on Independence Day commemorations include a big military parade