By KELIN DILLON
According to a new 214-page report on Mexico’s June 2021 national and local electoral processes prepared by the Organization of American States (OAS), Mexico’s autonomous electoral organization, the National Electoral Institute (INE) – which is controversially facing potential closure under proposed electoral reforms – “facilitated the holding of the largest elections in the history of Mexico,” a feat that the OAS says the INE facilitated with “institutional strength” and “professionalism.”
“The electoral process ratified the importance for Mexican democracy of the institutional strength, professionalism and experience of its autonomous and independent electoral authorities,” read the OAS report.
The report also went on to note that throughout the OAS’ 12 years monitoring Mexican elections, “it has verified that the Mexican electoral system is characterized both by its strength in the administration of the elections and by having a robust electoral justice system, with authorities autonomous and specialized in their field.”
As a result of its findings, the OAS opined that Mexico’s current electoral system “does not require profound reforms to continue guaranteeing the full exercise of suffrage,” directly countering the electoral reforms proposed by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).
Mentioning that “smear campaigns and unfounded attacks are not the way to improve electoral institutions,” as AMLO has repeatedly done against the INE during his daily morning press conferences, the OAS report emphasized “the cardinal importance of guaranteeing the autonomy and independence of the administrative and jurisdictional electoral authorities, and reiterates that the electoral process must be conducted in an environment free of pressure on the officials responsible for conducting forward said process.”
The new report on Mexico’s 2021 elections is slated to be debated by the OAS Permanent Council on Wednesday, Dec. 7, alongside the context of AMLO’s current proposed reforms to Mexico’s electoral infrastructure and the INE.
Meanwhile, López Obrador’s political opponents in Mexico have continued speaking out against the reforms – including conservative National Action Party (PAN) President Marko Cortés Mendoza.
“We point out that it is enormously risky, illegal and unconstitutional for López Obrador to try to take control of the electoral roll through the Secretariat of the Interior,” said Cortés. “With this, he only shows that he wants to manipulate the elections to become the power behind the throne.”
“Why do you want the electoral roll in the hands of the Interior? Well, to repeat the old practices and handouts to guarantee votes to the official party,” added the PAN leader, claiming that AMLO and his National Regeneration Movement (Morena) have continually “attempted against democracy.”
“The presidential austerity speech is pure demagoguery. No government had wasted as much money as his,” concluded Cortés.