Ricardo Pascoe Pierce
True to its governing style, Morena now launches its institutional wrecking ball against the Electoral Institute of Mexico City (IECM). Under the guise of austerity, Morena‘s proposal in Mexico City intends to demolish the efficiency in the administration, surveillance, and oversight of the electoral processes in Mexico City.
What does Morena want to achieve with this proposed change? It has several objectives in its sights. One of them is to make a “mirror” reform with the electoral reform that President López Obrador is proposing for the National Electoral Institute (INE). In both cases, the justification spearhead of his proposal is “austerity”.
Austerity has become the crank that sets in motion the wrecking ball of this government’s institutions. This case is no exception. Just as the President argues that our electoral system is one of the most expensive globally, the Morenista proposal for Mexico City alleges precisely the same. And, as at the federal level, in Mexico City (CDMX), they refuse to explain that democracy costs so that it is an unquestionable instrument when it comes to giving results that the losers must abide by.
Another objective is to reduce the ability of the electoral institute to oversee the allegedly illegal actions of political actors, both parties and candidates. Why is Morena concerned about oversight? Easy: because it is the party that systematically violates electoral laws and is preparing to do the same in 2024, on a large scale.
The experience of the recall vote is the emblematic example of how Morena ignores and violates the electoral laws before the eyes of society and manages to get away with it. Neither the INE nor the Federal Electoral Tribunal (TEPJF) has categorically condemned the illegal conduct of the President and the rest of the public officials who campaigned. The lukewarm institutional complaints confirm that these same conducts will continue. And to eliminate the annoying complaints from electoral bodies, the solution, says the Morenista logic, is to weaken them from now on, especially in their auditing capacity.
And finally, why start with the IECM? Because they can, and its destruction will be the emblematic model for the rest of the states and will reinforce the President’s proposal to destroy the INE.
The Morenista proposal to weaken the IECM is also another wink as if it were missing, from CDMX’s Mayor to the President of the Republic. Such a wink to AMLO reflects the uneasiness of the capital’s soul, as it definitely does not project tranquility. This is how things will be between them. She is “the most beloved”, but not necessarily the chosen one. Her administration in the city has not been a failure, but it does not shine for its successes either. Mediocrity is the house’s hallmark, and the lack of empathy and charisma is the most commented detail. In addition, both she and Ebrard are trapped in the labyrinth of Line 12, a phenomenon that drags both into the hell of ineligibility.
Morena‘s proposal to impose “austerity” in the IECM is its instrument to demolish that institution. It wants to turn the electoral institute into a shell incapable of auditing Morena‘s intention to impose itself in 2024, with and against the law.
Death to auditing! It seems to be Morena’s battle cry for future elections.
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