Mexico’s old rulers have claimed victory in a presidential election, ending 12 years in opposition after a campaign dominated by a sputtering economy and rampant drug violence.

Mexico’s old guard sailed back into power after a 12-year hiatus as the official preliminary vote count handed a victory to Enrique Pena Nieto, whose party was long accused of ruling the country through corruption and patronage.

The mysterious disappearance of a former Mexican presidential candidate has sparked fear that nobody is safe from relentless kidnapping and rampant drug violence.

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.

HUNDREDS of Mexican riot police in body armour sealed Congress on yesterday after violent clashes with leftist protesters and legislators who say last month’s presidential election was stolen.

Leftist activists blockaded bank headquarters and called for a march on the offices of federal prosecutors, as officials recounted some of the ballots from Mexico’s disputed presidential election.

THOUSANDS of protesters caused commuter chaos by closing off Mexico City’s business district to traffic yesterday, pressing the main leftist candidate’s demand for a vote recount in a presidential election he claims was stolen from him.

THE battle for Mexico’s presidency has turned from a nasty campaign of mudslinging into a tense tug of war in court.

MEXICAN leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has asked the courts to order a ballot-by-ballot recount in the presidential election.

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.

MEXICANS were flocking to the polls yesterday to decide whether to elect a free-spending leftist who pledges to put the poor first or a conservative career politician who says private investment and free markets are the road to prosperity.

Voters decide today whether to elect a free-spending leftist who pledges to put the poor first or a conservative career politician who says private investment and free markets are the road to prosperity.

FELIPE Calderon became president-elect of Mexico yesterday, two months after disputed elections, when the nation’s top electoral court voted unanimously to reject allegations of fraud and certify his narrow victory.

Peru’s President-elect Alan Garcia says voters have sent a clear message to Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez: Keep out.

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

The Zapatista rebels embarked on a historic transformation today at a mass meeting intended to take them out of their jungle hideouts and into the cut-throat world of Mexican politics.