Among the positive points, the elimination of the “eternal life clause” stands out (which would have allowed the transfer of votes from majority parties to minority ones, with which they would not lose their registration if they did not get more than 3% of the votes in an election), as well as the bases of electronic voting, the prohibition of electronic wallets to buy votes, among others.
While among the negative points it is economically limited to the INE, as well as eliminating 300 district boards (responsible for the preparation, organization and holding of elections), in such a way that it is noted that behind it is the intention to violate the autonomy of the Institute , but above all erode the democratic system and respect for the vote in upcoming elections.
Thus, today, Mexico is a faithful reflection of what Anne Applebaum warns, so we must accept the fact that this type of rebellion is latent in a good part of Western societies. However, given what is at stake, it is time to take positions.
Undoubtedly, a turbulent political situation causes uncertainty and is a trigger for negative impacts on the economy and business. For example, as a result of the political crisis derived from the inauguration and removal of Pedro Castillo, Peru plunged into a deep distrust that caused capital outflows, the depreciation of the Peruvian sol, speculation and high inflation.
In Mexico, the President of the Republic’s Plan B is in the eye of the hurricane. Today, during his morning conference, Andrés Manuel López Obrador will attack his critics, arguing that there is a conspiracy against him, while through a series of demonstrations in various cities of the country, his opponents will have urged the ministers of the Court to invalidate the official plan.
The business community is mostly silent. Generally speaking, much silence is kept about the public environment. Businessmen tied to concessions have another type of relationship, but all those who do not live from relations with the government (the majority) have a lot at stake at this juncture.
What can happen if the Court does not invalidate Plan B? What is the impact map? Is there a Plan B in companies, in case the worst scenario materializes? Is there no budget that today is altered in the face of the possibility that democracy is at risk?
In the narrative of this story, the benefits that democracy brings with it have already been socialized a lot, but perhaps now it will be more powerful to talk about the impacts that would be had if it were lost. Due to our customs, we can even think about what can happen, but we do not believe that we are going to experience it. In the prospective, we already have the most pessimistic scenario and, then, if we do not understand it and we do not act either, there will be no room to complain later about something that we knew was coming but that we did nothing to avoid.
