ANC denounces Mugabe regime

PRETORIA, South Africa, June 24 (UPI) -- South Africa's ruling party is accusing the government of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe of "riding roughshod" over democracy.

The African National Congress' statement is the latest in the mounting diplomatic pressure on the Mugabe government, the BBC reported Tuesday.

Saying it could not remain "indifferent to the flagrant violation of every principle of democratic governance," the ANC, said it was "deeply dismayed by the actions of the Zimbabwean government -- which is riding roughshod over hard-won democratic rights."

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai announced he was pulling out of this week's presidential runoff, citing escalating violence. Tsvangirai captured the most votes in a March election, but not a sufficient amount to be declared the outright winner, prompting a June 27 runoff.

The ANC statement came the day after the U.N. Security Council unanimously voted to condemn the violence in Zimbabwe and to declare a fair election would be impossible.

Dana Perino, spokeswoman for U.S. President George Bush, said Tuesday the U.N. statement and other condemnations for Mugabe's ruling party shows "the problems this regime has created lay solely at (its) feet."

Bush also "praises the fact many African leaders have come out strongly against the Mugabe regime," Perino said.