The Bishops’ Conference of Mexico announced its complete confidence Monday in the country’s electoral institutions and expressed its hope that they “maintain their credibility” by resisting pressure and blackmail from different political factions amidst the too-close-to call presidential elections of July 1st.  

The bishops issued their statement as both candidates, Manuel Lopez and Felipe Calderon, refused to concede and claimed the final vote would be in their favor.  The bishops praised the Mexican people for the large turnout for Sunday’s vote, calling it a “triumph of democracy in the country.”

“All of us would like to have known the name of the next president of Mexico today; however, the intense competitiveness has prevented that,” the bishops stated.

They expressed their, “complete confidence,” in the country’s electoral institutions and expressed their hope that they, “maintain their credibility,” by resisting the pressure or blackmail that any one political faction might try to exert.

“We also express our gratitude to the media, which have professionally reported the news and the directions of the IFE (Federal Electoral Institute),” the bishops said in conclusion.