In Mexico, Felipe Calderon was sworn in as the country’s new president during a chaotic ceremony on Friday. Calderon is taking office after one of the most contested presidential races in Mexico’s history. Calderon’s main opponent, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, maintains the election was stolen and that he is in fact the legitimate president. On Friday, opposition lawmakers who back Lopez Obrador set up a barricade of chairs inside the national Congress in an attempt to prevent Calderon from entering the building. Fistfights broke out on the floor of Congress. One lawmaker held up a sign that read “Mexico doesn’t deserve a traitor to democracy as president.” Despite the barricades, Calderon managed to sneak in through a back door. Then Calderon headed to the podium surrounded by bodyguards and supporters.

Felipe Calderon: “I swear to keep and to make sure that the Mexican Political Constitution of the United States of Mexico and the laws which emanate from it.”

As Calderon took the oath of office, his critics screamed, “Felipe will fall! Felipe will fall!” Then Calderon quickly left the building. The whole ceremony took less than four minutes. Outgoing President Vicente Fox first handed over power to Calderon early Friday morning in an unprecedented secret ceremony. Meanwhile, Lopez Obrador led tens of thousands of protesters in a large march in Mexico City.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador: “They can’t handle us, because we won’t take a step back.”