Front-running leftist in Mexico's presidential election vows to root out gangs, corruption

The hot favourite to winMexico's presidency, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, vowed to rootout corruption and pacify the gang-ravaged country with asweeping anti-establishment speech to a stadium full ofsupporters at his campaign finale.

A trenchant critic of the ruling elite, Lopez Obrador wouldbecome Mexico's first left-leaning leader for decades if elected on Sunday, which would breakthe stranglehold of the ruling InstitutionalRevolutionary Party (PRI) and its conservative rivals.

Final polls show the former Mexico City mayor with a lead ofmore than 20 per cent over his presidential opponents, PRI candidate Jose Antonio Meade and the second-placed Ricard Anayaof the centre-right National Action Party (PAN).

Combining campaign pledges with a whistle-stop tour ofMexican political history, Lopez Obrador promised a "radical" government that would end unearned privilege, stamp out impunityand imbue the country with "moral authority."

"The country will be cleansed," hesaid onWednesday inside Mexico's largest soccer venue, the almost full 87,000-seatAzteca Stadium.

He promised to "pull up by its roots the corrupt regime" heblames for chronic violence and poverty.

Pledge of 'deep transformation'

Dressed in a dark suit and an open-necked white shirt, Lopez Obradorcompared his movement to Mexico's great social upheavals, including the 1910 revolution, and said a new era was at hand.

"It's going to be a peaceful, orderly but deeptransformation," hesaid.

Critics accuse the 64-year-old of an authoritarian streakthat will centralize power in the president's office, comparing him to Venezuela's socialist leaders.

He's our only option for change. I'm sick to death of the PRI.- Marco Antonio Cortes, Lopez Obrador supporter

However, Lopez Obrador said he would not be a "dictator,"promising to respect the rule of law and separation of powers.

He plans to review a major opening up of the oil industry toprivate capital in 2013-14, and wants to support farmers and unemployed youth. His rebellious past has unnerved someinvestors, although he has also courted Wall Street.

Though he has expressed admiration for the statist economicmodel that prevailed in Mexico before the 1980s, it is not clearhow far he will try to steer the country to the left.

Targeting cartels

As rain began falling inside the Azteca, Lopez Obradorrepeated pledges to slash the president's salary, raise pensions for the elderly and pull Latin America's second biggest economyout of years drug cartel-fuelled lawlessness.

"He's our only option for change," said Marco AntonioCortes, 58, who is from Ecatepec, a longtime PRI bastion on the edge of Mexico City. "I'm sick to death of the PRI."

Lopez Obrador said he would make "all the necessary decisions"to fix the violence that has tainted Mexico under outgoing PRIPresident Enrique Pena Nieto and his PAN predecessor.

Lopez Obrador's popularity has also grown in tandem withanger at the government's failure to fire up the economy.

Mexico's peso sank to an 18-monthlow this month, but itsweakness has mostly been blamed on an emerging markets sell-off.

Deadlock in talks to rework the NAFTA trade agreement hasalso hurt the currency. If he wins, Lopez Obrador may have tostrike a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Comparisons to Trump

Lopez Obrador's stubborn nature, sharp tongue and desire toupend politics have drawn comparisons to Trump. If Mexico andthe United States keep sparring over trade and migration,critics fear the two men could prove a combustible mix.

His main rivals, Meade and the PAN's Anaya, who is frontinga right-left coalition, were still fighting each other for second place as campaigning closed.

Don't believe the fake polls being sponsored by thegovernment, our coalition is the only one that can beat Lopez Obrador," Anaya told supporters in the city of Leon.

Meade told a crowd of backers "we are going to win" at arally in the northern state of Coahuila, one of a dwindling number bastions of the PRI, which ruled Mexico for 71 yearsrunning until it was voted out for the first time in 2000.