The Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obradordefended this Wednesday his “plan B” to transform the elections after the defeat of his controversial electoral reform constitution in the Chamber of Deputies.
The president boasted of the victory during the early morning of the initiative that modifies six secondary lawsalthough hours before his controversial constitutional reform, accused of violating the autonomy of the elections, did not reach the necessary two-thirds of votes in the Chamber of Deputies.
It is important that this fight not be abandoned, that it be the subject of discussion in the next presidential campaign to continue promoting democracy, that this demand that the people elect the INE (National Electoral Institute) advisers be maintained”, expressed in his daily press conference.
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The constitutional reform, which López Obrador presented last April, It caused controversy because it would create the National Institute of Elections and Consultations (INEC) to replace the current INEan autonomous body that arose to remove control of the elections from the Government.
In addition, it would submit the INE advisers and the magistrates of the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary (Tepjf) to a popular vote.
It would also eliminate 200 deputies and 32 senatorswould reduce the financing of political parties and would redefine the concept of “propaganda” for the Government to pronounce itself during the elections, provisions criticized because they may favor the current party in power.
As expected, the constitutional reform was rejected, because the parties, the conservative bloc, do not want the citizens to elect the councillors, they also rejected the reduction of the INE budget, which is extremely onerous”, criticized the leader.
What does Plan B of AMLO’s electoral reform propose?
Anticipating the rejection of the opposition, López Obrador presented a legal reform on Tuesday to modify six secondary laws that were approved with a simple majority to take turns in the Senate.
With its approval, the INE budget was reduced by 3,500 million pesos, and total “savings” of 5,000 million pesos were achieved when considering local electoral organizations and the Tepjf.
Duplication of functions of the administrative areas of the National Electoral Institute is eliminated, it is reduced from 300 district offices to 264, and all this helps to make the election cheaper and more economical,” said Adán Augusto López, Secretary of the Interior, at the conference.
The official indicated that also “for the first time it is recognized that migrants or Mexican residents who are abroad will be able to vote online.”
In addition, it establishes the bases for electronic voting and “for the first time the use of instruments such as electronic wallets, such as prepaid cards, which were used to coerce and to buy the vote on election day, is suppressed or prohibited.” .
Another provision is that the parties will be obliged to guarantee candidacies from diverse groups, such as youth, indigenous people, Afro-Mexicans, migrants, LGBT people and people with disabilities.
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