Mexican leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks in Sunday's protest in Mexico City July 30, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

    MEXICO CITY, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Mexican leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Sunday called on his supporters to camp in the capital's main avenues, demanding a vote-by-vote recount of the presidential election.

    Obrador called on his supporters to set up 47 camping sites across the gridlocked city's main thoroughfares until the Federal Electoral Tribunal (TEPJF) reaches a verdict.

    About 2.5 million people had taken part in Sunday's protest in Mexico City, according to the city's Public Security Department.

    It was the third rally called by Obrador since the July 2 presidential vote.

    The Federal Electoral Institute awarded the election victory toright-wing candidate Felipe Calderon of the National Action Party,giving him a bare 0.58 percentage point lead over Obrador.

    But Obrador claimed himself as the real winner and challenged the result with the TEPJF, the nation's highest electoral authority.

    He called on his supporters to take acts of civil disobedience to promote his call for a vote recount, saying the election was marred by numerous irregularities and fraudulent counts.

    "We reject the maneuvers of those who are trying to change the will of the people as expressed at the ballot box," Obrador said.

    He said Calderon's refusal to accept a vote-by-vote recount wasoverwhelming evidence that the vote "was stolen."

    The election results will only be valid with approval from the TEPJF. The court has until Aug. 31 to rule on the fraud allegations and must declare a president-elect by Sept. 6. Enditem