Mexican opposition leader Roberto Madrazo announced Sunday that he will seek candidacy from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) for presidential elections next year.

Madrazo said in an announcement that he would take part in party primaries scheduled to begin on July 15.

"I am going to take part in the democratic process for the good of the party," Madrazo told a rally near Mexico City.

Within the PRI, the party leader faces harsh competition from half a dozen rivals.

Mexico City's mayor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, leads by more than 10 percentage points in opinion polls for the presidential race in July 2006.

Most polls have Madrazo competing for second place with former Interior Secretary Santiago Creel of President Vicente Fox's National Action Party.

Source: Xinhua