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Mexico City: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico's self-proclaimed "legitimate president", on Wednesday proposed a law to lower the cost of goods and services.
The action comes two days after he declared himself president and it gives some indication of how Lopez Obrador, who lost to conservative Felipe Calderon by a razor-thin margin on July 2, plans to operate his parallel government, which has no legal standing. Calderon will be sworn in on December 1.
Under Lopez Obrador's proposal, a commission charged with monitoring prices could order companies to lower the cost of goods and services if they are at least 10 per cent more expensive than corresponding items in the United States, Canada and Central America.
Some analysts have suggested that Lopez Obrador, who claims Calderon won by fraud and has refused to accept the results, could be a positive influence if he used his clout to push for changes in Congress, where his coalition has the second-largest bloc of seats.
His supporters have pledged to prevent Calderon from taking office and to badger him throughout his term with protests and other acts of civil resistance.
Calderon, a member of President Vicente Fox's conservative National Action Party, defeated Lopez Obrador by less than 1 percentage point.
Last month, congressmen aligned with Lopez Obrador presented a legislative agenda calling for universal health care, job creation and anti-poverty plans.
Calderon has embraced similar proposals, partly to attract support from Lopez Obrador's followers.
The commission proposed by Lopez Obrador also could order authorities to allow the importation of alternative products.
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