Reply #6: CNN: Leftist lawmakers steal stage from President Fox

[JNelson6563]

Leftist lawmakers steal stage from President Fox

POSTED: 8:16 p.m. EDT, September 1, 2006


MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- Dozens of opposition lawmakers took control of the stage at Congress on Friday minutes before President Vicente Fox was scheduled to deliver his last state-of-the-nation address.

The lawmakers held placards calling the Mexican leader a traitor to democracy and refused to leave until authorities removed police barricades that had been set up in advance of Fox's annual speech.

The lawmakers ignored demands that they return to their seats, shouting "Vote by Vote" -- a rallying cry for leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's bid for a full recount of the July 2 ballots.

Thousands of Lopez Obrador's supporters have been camped out for weeks in Mexico City and had vowed to march on congress to prevent Fox from speaking.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/09/01/mexico.protest.ap/index.html