Felipe Calderon,  candidate of Mexico's ruling National Action Party,  delivers speech after his victory of the presidential election was announced, Mexico City, July 6, 2006. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

Felipe Calderon(L 1st),  candidate of Mexico's ruling National Action Party, and his wife and kids pose for a photo after his victory of the presidential election was announced, Mexico City, July 6, 2006.  (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

    MEXICO CITY, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Felipe Calderon, candidate of Mexico's ruling National Action Party, won the country's closest-ever presidential election with a razor-thin lead, announced the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) on Thursday, after the results of Wednesday's recount came out.

    Of all the votes counted, conservative Calderon, gained 35.89 percent, or 15,000,284 votes, and had a lead of 243,934 votes, or 0.58 percentage points, over leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador who represents the For the Good of All Coalition, the IFE said.

    The IFE added that the results were based on a recount of the ballot tallies sent from the 130,500 polling stations.

    The initial preliminary results earlier this week gave Calderona lead of 0.6 points, but Lopez Obrador's party accused election officials of fraud and demanded a recount.

    Obrador told media on Thursday that he did not recognize the final results of Wednesday's recount, which delivered a narrow victory to right-winger Calderon.

    "We will take this to the electoral tribunal and ask them to review the packets of votes," said Obrador.

    "We cannot accept these results, we cannot recognise them (because) there are so many irregularities," he said, demanding a full, ballot-by-ballot recount.

    He also called on his supporters to gather at Mexico City's central square, the Zocalo, for a Saturday demonstration.

    "We won!" Obrador said, going on to question the IFE's independence.

    The Federal Electoral Tribunal, the ultimate arbiter in electoral disputes, has until Sept. 6 to officially declare who will replace outgoing President Vicente Fox.

    The winner will be sworn in on Dec. 1 to start a six-year term.

    Harvard-educated Calderon, 43, pledges to reduce crime, extend government health and service programs, create jobs and continue the prudent fiscal policies carried out by Fox.

    Analysts say that Calderon, who tends to adopt a moderate attitude regarding Mexico's ties with Washington, could be a key U.S. ally in Latin America.

    Calderon, who is seen by leftist voters as a candidate of the rich, was apparently liked by investors, as Mexico's financial markets jumped on the news of his victory. The stock market was up2.7 percent in afternoon trade and the peso currency gained 1.6 percent.

    On the news of Calderon's victory, angry working-class protesters gathered in doorways and on street corners, demonstrating against the electoral institute and Calderon's party.

    Meanwhile, hundreds of professionals crowded in Calderon's party offices to celebrate his win in the presidential election.

    Observers fear that there could be weeks or months of massive street demonstrations and legal battles to come until the Federal Electoral Tribunal eventually gives its verdict.

    Profile: Felipe Calderon, winner of Mexican presidential election¡¡

    MEXICO CITY, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Felipe Calderon, candidate for the ruling National Action Party (PAN), has won last Sunday's tight Mexican presidential election, the Federal Electoral Institute announced Thursday afternoon.

    Of all the votes counted, Calderon had 35.89 percent while his main rival, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, representing the For the Good of All Coalition, got 35.31 percent.

    However, Calderon was not immediately declared president-elect, and the Federal Electoral Tribunal has until Sept. 6 to officially declare who will replace outgoing President Vicente Fox.

    "The time has arrived for unity and agreements," Calderon told dozens of supporters at his campaign headquarters Thursday evening. "I'm making it my personal duty to take on as my own the wishes and desires of the millions of citizens who voted for other candidates."

    Meanwhile, Lopez Obrador said Thursday he did not recognize the results, and would take the case to the Federal Electoral Tribunal, which is responsible for resolving until Aug. 31 any challenges regarding the recount of votes.

    The next president begins a single, six-year term on Dec. 1.

    The following is the profile of Calderon.

    Born in the central Mexican state of Michoacan on Aug. 18, 1962,Calderon got two master's degrees separately in economics at the Mexico Autonomous Technology Institute and in public administration at Harvard University of the United States.

    He began his political career in his early 20s, heading the youth wing of PAN. He was elected PAN's general-secretary in 1993 and served as the party's national president from 1996 to 1999.

    He served twice as a federal congressman. Mexican President Fox once appointed him as energy minister, but Calderon quit in May 2004 after Fox, barred by the constitution from seeking a second term, criticized Calderon for launching his own presidential bid while still in office.

    Calderon, a father of three, unexpectedly beat Santiago Creel, a former interior minister, in PAN's primary race last year.

    He pledged to reduce crime, extend government health and service programs, create jobs and continue the prudent fiscal policies carried out by Fox. Enditem