page_title: Andrés Manuel López Obrador
section_title: "Legitimate Presidency"
hierarchical_section_title: Andrés Manuel López Obrador / Prior presidential campaigns / First presidential run, 2006 / "Legitimate Presidency"
caption_attribution_description: English: Andrés Manuel López Obrador being proclaimed "legitimate president" of Mexico Español: Andrés Manuel López Obrador tomando protesta como "presidente legítimo" de México
context_page_description: Andrés Manuel López Obrador is the 58th and current President of Mexico, since 1 December 2018.
  Born in Tepetitán, in the municipality of Macuspana, in south-eastern state of Tabasco, López Obrador graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 1986 following a hiatus from his studies to participate in politics. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science. He began his political career in 1976 as a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party in Tabasco. His first public position was as director of the Indigenous Institute of Tabasco in 1977, where he promoted the edition of books in indigenous language and the project of the Chontal ridge. In 1989, he joined the Party of the Democratic Revolution and was the party's 1994 candidate for Governor of Tabasco. He was the national leader of the PRD between 1996 and 1999. In 2000, he was elected Head of Government of Mexico City. He left the PRD in 2012 and in 2014 founded the National Regeneration Movement, which he led until 2017. Often described as a center-left progressive democrat and economic nationalist, López Obrador has been a national politician for more than three decades.
context_section_description: On 20 November 2006, the date when the Mexican Revolution is commemorated, López Obrador's sympathizers proclaimed him the "Legitimate President" at a rally in the Zócalo in Mexico City, though no formal poll was taken. The action was planned in another rally, the "National Democratic Convention", in which supporters gave him the title. At the Convention, López Obrador called for the establishment of a parallel government and shadow cabinet. He also advocated the abolition or reform of several institutions, alleging they are spoiled and corrupt, and asked for changes to the constitution to ensure the institutions work "for the people", and provide welfare and assistance to the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
  After his supporters proclaimed him as "Legitimate President of Mexico", López Obrador created a "Cabinet of Denunciation" to counter all moves done by President Felipe Calderón. It was expected that this "alternative cabinet" would be used as a pressure mechanism to the initiatives of the government. In his speech at the proclamation ceremony, López Obrador promised to "procure the happiness of the people", and announced 20 "actions of government", such as fostering a process for renewal for public institutions and defending the right to information and demanding openness of communication media.
  Days later, López Obrador announced that he would earn a salary of $50,000 pesos (US$2,500) a month, provided by donations.
caption: López Obrador being proclaimed "Legitimate President of Mexico" by his supporters in November 2006[90]
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