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Mexico City, September 5, 2006 - “Today, the Electoral Tribunal of Mexico announced that Felipe Calderón will be the next President of Mexico. In so doing, the Tribunal reaffirmed the credibility of Mexico’s electoral institutions by reviewing the July 2 Presidential Election and determining that the people had spoken in a free and fair way. I congratulate President-elect Calderón and look forward to working with his administration in the years to come.
I also extend my congratulations to the seven members of the Tribunal who applied reason and impartiality to resolve a difficult challenge for Mexico’s democracy.
In the past two months, Mexico’s political institutions have been tested -- but it is clear that democracy has emerged triumphant. In any election, there must be a winner and a loser-- and one key to a strong democracy is having candidates who can be both with grace and dignity. The people of Mexico deserve our admiration and respect for using the legal system to consider questions about the July 2 election—this manner of dispute resolution is another hallmark of a vibrant democracy.
We hope that the Mexican people can now focus on building consensus and looking towards the future. By working together, all of Mexico’s leaders can successfully fulfill the expectations of its people and give them the opportunity and security that they want and deserve.
Of course, until President-elect Calderón is sworn in on December 1, 2006, we will continue to work closely with the government of President Vicente Fox on the pressing issues that face both our nations.”
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