PRESIDENT Felipe Calderon said he is willing to change Mexico’s drug war strategy and promised a new offensive against money laundering after hearing blistering criticism from opposition leaders.

Mexico’s newly sworn-in president sent more than 6,500 soldiers, sailors and federal police to violence-plagued Michoacan state to crack down on drug turf wars that have left hundreds dead in a wave of execution-style killings and beheadings.

MEXICO’S top electoral court began a marathon session yesterday to rule on challenges to the July 2 presidential election, which have sparked weeks of protests and threatened the country’s stability.

Lawyers for Mexico’s leading leftist presidential candidate were preparing their case yesterday for a ballot-by-ballot recount, alleging that the July 2 election – Mexico’s closest presidential race ever – was marred by fraud and a dirty campaign.

Mexico’s main leftist candidate plans to challenge the presidential vote tally at tens of thousands of polling places, and also will allege that attack ads by the apparently victorious conservative were illegally harsh, a top adviser said today.

MEXICO’S ruling party’s Felipe Calderon has gained an insurmountable lead in the presidential vote count, but his leftist rival vowed yesterday to challenge the results in court, setting the stage for a long battle over who will lead the nation’s young democracy.

Mexico’s ruling party’s Felipe Calderon had an insurmountable lead in today’s presidential vote count, but his leftist rival vowed to challenge the results in court, setting the stage for a long battle over who will lead the nation’s young democracy.

Ruling party candidate Felipe Calderon declared victory in Mexico’s closest presidential race ever, saying today that his 370,000-vote lead was insurmountable.

Mexico’s presidential election was too close to call today, with voters bitterly divided between a left-wing offering himself as a saviour to the poor and a conservative free-trader both declaring themselves the winner.

Election authorities have declared a Christmas “truce” in Mexico’s heated presidential race.

Mexico celebrated the first of two Day of the Dead celebrations today with elaborate food- and flower-laden altars designed to guide the spirits of the deceased in their annual journey back to Earth.