MEXICO:Mexico's new right-wing president, Felipe Calderon, slipped in through a back door of the National Congress yesterday to take his oath of office amid chaotic scenes that followed fist fights between rival deputies seeking control of the chamber.
In the 90 minutes before the ceremony, deputies from Mr Calderon's National Action party (PAN) clashed with representatives from the left-wing Party of Democratic Revolution (PRD), who claim July's presidential election was stolen from their candidate, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Mr Lopez describes himself as the "legitimate president", and was "sworn in" before more than 100,000 supporters in a theatrical open-air ceremony last month.
Punches and chairs were thrown yesterday and barricades built as the PAN took control of the platform but the opposition held all the main doors into the chamber. In the end they were unable to prevent Mr Calderon slipping in through a back door behind the two great Mexican flags that hang behind the podium.
Protected by members of the presidential guard and walls of loyalist deputies, the 44-year-old swore to defend the constitution and put on the presidential sash. Jubilant PAN deputies jumped for joy and chanted while attempts by PRD deputies to reach the platform were thwarted. Their jeers and whistles failed to drown out the oath relayed through loudspeakers at full volume.
Mr Calderon waited to hear the national anthem before being spirited away from the chamber to the National Auditorium, and his second engagement in a series of inauguration events.
It was not clear if any foreign dignitaries saw the chaos. Spain's Prince of Asturias and George Bush snr arrived at the building but there were no pictures of them taking their seats. The British delegation is headed by deputy prime minister John Prescott. During the oath the national broadcast networks were obliged to transmit an official voice-over which declared: "President Felipe Calderon has started his six-year term with his right foot forward, as it should be."
Mr Calderon had already been declared president in an odd midnight ceremony that was relayed to journalists on closed-circuit TV.