Mexico Elections Kick Off
The campaign for July 2 elections in Mexico began very early Thursday, marking what is likely to be a long contest for the Republic´s presidency.

Felipe Calderon, the candidate for the ruling PAN (National Action Party), was the one who led the race by presenting radio and TV spots a few minutes after midnight.

For his part, the runner for the "Por el bien de todos" (For the Good of All) Coalition, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, travelled to the Metlatonoc municipality in the Guerrero state, where families have the country´s lowest income. Fighting poverty is one of the priorities in his alliance´s program.

Roberto Madrazo, candidate for the Alliance for Mexico -grouping the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) and "Verde Ecologista," with winning chances, also began his campaign very early today with political messages.

Madrazo started with an homage to PRI presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio, murdered in front of the TV cameras at the end of a rally in March 1994.

Patricia Mercado and Roberto Campa, from the "Alternativa Socialdemacrata y Campesina" and the New Alliance parties, respectively, complete the list of candidates.

According to a poll published by the Milenio daily Wednesday, Lopez Obrador has six points over Calderon, and seven over Madrazo.

Those polled agreed Lopez Obrador is the candidate likely to generate most jobs, guarantee higher public security, impose more order within the government, and create conditions to improve the economic situation.