Mexico Trucker Online

Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico’s fiery presidential candidate, has a tough pill to swallow.He lost the July 2 presidential election by a margin of less than 1 percent to National Action Party candidate Felipe Calderón.

López Obrador has contended there was electoral fraud. The loss has led to massive protesting that until recently has been peaceful. Regrettably, those protests have turned violent.

Monday, federal police used tear gas to break up a throng of demonstrators blocking the entrance to the Congress building in Mexico City, injuring up to 30 people.

Seething tensions point to more violence, as López Obrador has called for more large-scale demonstrations in September.

His massive mobilization of millions of voters has sent a strong, clear message to Mexican politicians.

It’s a message that putative victor Calderón should hear: His slim lead is no mandate. He should now unite the country by reaching out to López Obrador and his supporters.

Likewise, López Obrador has received a clear signal to move on.

A partial recount of 9 percent of the votes has been conducted. Initial, unofficial estimates from both political parties indicate that López Obrador’s gains are in the hundreds — far less than the 244,000-vote deficit he sustained on July 2.

The Federal Electoral Tribunal has until Aug. 31 to reveal the results of the official recount. The body must either annul the election — an unlikely scenario — or declare the winner by Sept. 6.

Hopefully, López Obrador will put country before self and concede to his rival.