Mexican presidential candidates deny rumors of alliances

MEXICO CITY – Mexico's presidential candidates are rushing to deny rumors that one, or several of them, could form late-campaign alliances in a race that has been dominated by leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Much of Mexico's elite wants to stop Lopez Obrador from winning the July 1 election but he continues to lead in the polls.

Lopez Obrador claims businessmen tried to persuade the governing Institutional Revolutionary Party to switch its support from its lagging candidate, Jose Antonio Meade, to Ricardo Anaya. Anaya is running in second place as the candidate of a right-left opposition alliance.

Government spokesman Eduardo Sanchez denied on Wednesday that there is any such effort.

Also on Wednesday, indigenous independent hopeful Maria de Jesus Patricio said she won't campaign for Lopez Obrador.