A memorial ceremony for former Mexican President Miguel de la Madrid, held at the National Palace in Mexico City.
De la Madrid died on Sunday at the age of 77, after battling pulmonary emphysema for years.
The event was attended by dozens of Mexican politicians, including current President Felipe Calderon, who paid homage to the country's former leader.
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON, SAYING:
"Don Miguel de la Madrid was a serene and fair man. A family man. A man who profoundly loved our Mexico, and who I'm sure gave an entire life of service."
During his presidency, de la Madrid struggled to overcome one of the country's worst economic crises, as well as a devastating earthquake in the 1980s.
A stalwart of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, which was Mexico's ruling party for most of the 20th Century, he broke with previous party policy by backing market-friendly reforms.
But the former president ultimately proved unable to tame surging unemployment and triple-digit inflation during his six-year term from 1982 to 1988.
Travis Brecher, Reuters
