Mexico CIty  - Opposition leader Manuel López Obrador led a massive protest rally in the capital Sunday vowing to block proposed reforms to the state-owned oil company Pemex.

The former presidential candidate also warned of a nationwide "civil resistance" to the government planned legal changes to allow greater private sector involvement in the public oil industry.

The leftist leader demanded "a national, pluralistic and democratic debate about the national energy sector."

Lopez Obrador also criticized news media for championing the government's position while ignoring opposing views.

"Let the (media) know that they will not stop us with their hate campaigns and public lynching. They should know that nothing nor nobody will turn us into accomplices for the mugging and kidnapping of the nation," he said.

He also criticized the supreme court, saying: "They say were must follow legal procedures, but deliberately forget that the majority of ministers on the Supreme Court of Justice are nothing more than protectors of corrupt politicians and white-collar criminals."

The government is pushing reforms to various laws that would allow private enterprise to develop in some areas within the petroleum industry that the country's constitution reserves for Pemex. (dpa)