Emilio Rabasa Gamboa
*The Comedy of Errors* is a play by Shakespeare written between 1589 and 1594, which tells the story of the confusion caused by two sets of identical twins (masters and servants) separated at birth, leading to a chaotic day in Ephesus where they unknowingly encounter each other, causing confusion, accusations, and eventual reunion The underlying theme is order versus chaos. The chaotic outcome of what should have been a good and orderly electoral reform is evident in President Sheinbaum’s Plans A and B. Still, instead of comedy, it resulted in tragedy for our political system and electoral process.
1st Mistake – The Method
The successful electoral reforms from 1977 to 2014 demonstrated that the method of INCLUSION yielded excellent results. This was evidenced by Reyes Heroles in the Juárez Hall at Bucareli, and later at the table in the Barcelona mansion, with the participation of all political forces. CONSENSUS ensured their passage through the parliamentary bodies.
The Commission for Plans A and B was, from the outset, EXCLUSIVE, excluding both the opposition and its own allies, the PT and the Green Party. Composed of individuals with no electoral experience (except for Lázaro Cárdenas and Pablo Gómez), under Pablo’s leadership—which opposed the autonomy of electoral bodies—it generated only DISAGREEMENT.
2nd mistake – The objective
With future generations in mind, the electoral reforms of 1977–2014 had a clear long-term objective: the democratization of Mexico, a goal of the State.
Plans A and B had short-term objectives: the upcoming 2027 and 2030 elections, to favor Morena’s unequal hold on power—a party objective.
That is what distinguishes a Stateswoman from a politician.
3rd mistake – The content
By altering national representation under Plan A, Morena automatically secured a qualified majority, just as the PRI did under the simple majority principle.
The amendment to Article 134 of the Constitution undermined the two sound principles of impartiality and neutrality—mandatory for public servants—which prevent them from influencing the electorate through propaganda and public programs.
Was it surprising that the PT and the Green Party did not support that initiative? Did the 4T expect its allies to sacrifice themselves?
With Plan A having failed, Plan B is presented to “end privileges,” but at its core: 1) it intervenes in the internal governance of the states and municipalities, undermining the federalism of Article 40 (“free and sovereign states in all matters concerning their internal governance”), to set salary caps for local legislators and determine municipal composition with minimum and maximum numbers of council members and trustees (and what about the indigenous autonomy guaranteed by Article 2 of the Constitution?); and 2) it alters the date for the recall election so that the President can appear on the ballot and campaign in 2027, which benefits her party, Morena.
On Top of Supidity, Ignorance:
4th Mistake – Anachronisms and Blunders
The statement of reasons for Plan B asserts that Morelos reaffirmed in his work, Sentimientos de la Nación, that: “democracy should be the form of government of the Republic.” The term “democracy” does not appear in the 23 sections that make up Morelos’s historical text. It also indicates that the democratic spirit of Morelos (1765–1815) “remained suppressed during three centuries of colonial rule,” that is, between 1521 and 1821. Therefore, this is a political ideology of Morelos that is historically retroactive to the colonial period, which was denied 292 years before he was born.
In addition to sidestepping parity, the reform would supposedly make the election cheaper. That is why there are minimum and maximum seat allocations in the municipalities, but did anyone actually calculate them? Because there are only a few with surpluses, but many more falling short of the minimum, and filling those gaps substantially increases the cost.
From conception to implementation, both plans were a great absurdity, and political absurdities can only sustain their fleeting existence through a tragedy of errors. Who is advising President Sheinbaum?
Further Reading: