Mexican electoral body says 2.85 million signatures needed to open presidential recall referendum

FILE PHOTO: Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks before the traditional military parade to mark the bicentennial of Mexico's Independence from Spain, and ahead of the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), at the Zocalo square in Mexico City, Mexico September 16, 2021. REUTERS/Gustavo Graf/File Photo

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's national election authority said Sunday that 2.85 million signatures are necessary to move forward with a recall referendum on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's mandate.

The National Electoral Institute (INE) said 3% of the 94,845,915 registered voters in 32 states would need to show support between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15, mainly through its mobile app, in order for the recall referendum to move forward.

Lopez Obrador, who took office in 2018, has long said he would hold a recall referendum halfway through his term to decide if he continues in office.

Opposition parties, however, are against the referendum, which they see as a way to polarize voters and galvanize supporters of the president, who has consistently enjoyed support of around 60%.

(Reporting by Cassandra Garrison, Editing by Nick Zieminski)