Mexican candidates claim victory

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MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's intensely fought presidential race remained deadlocked between rival leftist and conservative candidates today, revealing deep divisions in this country of 100 million.

Authorities anticipated days of political uncertainty before enough votes are counted by the official Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) to declare a clear winner.

Felipe Calderon, candidate of the governing National Action Party (PAN), was narrowly ahead as of late this morning with 36.46 percent of the more than 36 million votes counted, compared to 35.41 percent for the leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, voting officials said. The candidate of the once-dominant Institutional Revolutionary Party was far behind.

The IFE said that because of the closeness of the so-called "quick count," it would not announce a winner until it had completed an official count of the ballots, which will begin Wednesday.

The uncertainty did not stop both leading candidates from claiming victory or their supporters from celebrating. Enthusiastic backers of Mr. Lopez Obrador honked their car horns and crowded into the capital's main square last night as their candidate declared, "According to our data, we have won the presidency of the republic."

Mr. Calderon, meanwhile, said in a television appearance this morning that preliminary results showed that he had won. "They give me a very, very clear victory," he said.

Waving flags and cheering loudly, labor unionists, Indians and Marxist flag-carriers urged voters to reject the free-market policies of Mr. Calderon, arguing that in the past six years it had failed to help the 40 million poor.

While parts of the capital showed their colors for Mr. Lopez Obrador, a popular former mayor of Mexico City, Mr. Calderon was expected to draw his electoral strength from the city's better-heeled neighborhoods and Mexico's industrialized north.

Altogether, 70 million people were eligible to vote, with polling stations closing at 7 p.m. Washington time. Observers said there appeared to be a heavy voter turnout, and initial official results were expected several hours later if one candidate was clearly ahead.

Early polls results for congressional seats showed an almost even split of between the right-wing PAN, the leftist Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) and the neoliberal Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).