Rain on the parade...

Photos José Antonio López (Top) and Francisco Olvera (Bottom) Jornada

It looks as if Tlaloc, the rain god, is an AMLO supporter:

The Mexico City Herald's coverage was pathetic, missing what was a good story.

There was concern that there might be a confrontation if the two gritos ended up in the same Zocalo.

In Doloros Hidalgo, the 8000 or so spectators included 3500 were police and security personnel. The town was clamped down, and even residents had to show IDs to enter the area. Fox came and went by heliocopter. AND IT RAINED gatos y perros.

In DF, where Alejandro Encinas did the bell-ringing (from City Hall, not the National Palace), assisted by old lefty, human rights fighter and all round rabble rouser (and, now Senadora) Rosario Ibarra de Piedra, all-round intellectual Carlos Monsiváis and... as a sop to the Administration, Secretary of Gobernacion, Carlos Abascal Carranza.

In Doloros Hidalgo, the grito was "¡Viva nuestra Independencia! ¡Vivan los héroes que nos dieron patria y libertad! ¡Viva Hidalgo! ¡Viva Morelos! ¡Viva Allende! ¡Viva Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez! ¡Viva Leona Vicario! ¡Viva nuestra democracia! ¡Vivan nuestras instituciones! ¡Viva la unidad de las y los mexicanos! ¡Viva México!''

In Mexico City, the people gave ¡Vivas! for Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, José María Morelos y Pavón, Ignacio Allende, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, Vicente Guerrero, an extra loud, enthuastic viva for Benito Juárez (the tea-leaf readers are figuring that one out -- BJ managed to maintain the Presidency, while a fraudulently elected foreign-dominated adminstration tried running the country for a while) and popular sovereignty.

As an extra bonus, the people razzed Abascal, joining in the new cheer, "Get lost, asshole!" (¡FUERA! ¡CULITO!). It didn't rain on that party.

Jornada has a good "compare/contrast" on the two gritos.

Seems Mexico City aint't big enough for two gritos... or presidents?

From ¡Para justicia y libertad!

Delegates at the National Democratic Convention (CND) have formally declared Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) as Mexico's "legitimate president" which he is formally set to take office on November 20 at 3 p.m. at Constitution Square in Mexico City.

The delegates at CND also authorize López Obrador to appoint members to his cabinet, he is also authorized to select where the new capital in will be set up in Mexico and right to act as Mexico's official and legitimate president. The new government will observe the framework of a democratic republic, whereby the President of Mexico is both head of state and head of government. As President of the new government, he has the right to collect taxes.

Aerial view of the National Democratic Convention. Photoby Alfredo Dominguez, Jornada

Meanwhile, in Oaxaca...

There was, for the first time, no OFFICAL celebration. The governor doesn't dare show his face... instead, José Cruz Luna, presidente municipal of Zaachila, gave a grito on behalf of the APPO from their headquarters. There were the traditional celebratory dance music and pyrotechnics afterwords, but -- for some reason -- people in Oaxaca tend to leave when there are explosives in the neighborhood these days.

The People celebrating Independence Day by declaring Independence?

HOLY SHIT!!!!