The court plans to confirm AMLO’s violations in 36 morning press conferences last year

Fabiola Martinez and Jessica Xantomila

The newspaper La Jornada
Saturday, August 3, 2024, p. 9

In a draft ruling by Reyes Rodríguez Mondragón, a magistrate of the superior chamber of the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Branch of the Federation (TEPJF), it is proposed to confirm the opinion of the specialized chamber of this same court regarding electoral violations attributed to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for statements made in 36 morning press conferences held between May and October 2023.

It should also be noted that the president did not comply with the INE’s resolution to refrain from addressing electoral issues in these morning conferences held mainly at the National Palace.

The irregularities highlighted by the specialist are personalized promotion, violation of the principles of impartiality, neutrality and equity and improper use of public resources, all attributed to the head of the Executive. At the same time, it determined that there were no acts of early campaigning or slander in the morning press conferences.

The magistrate proposes to defend the specialist’s criteria by pointing out that the sentence is duly founded and motivated, and the person responsible was exhaustive in his study.

In another project, the same magistrate also proposes confirming that Claudia Sheinbaum, presidential candidate of the coalition headed by Morena, did not incur in slander against Xóchitl Gálvez, opposition candidate, for her statements in the second presidential debate referring to the fact that the Hidalgo native had incurred in acts of corruption.

The complainants (Gálvez and the parties that nominated her) indicated that the expert had improperly assessed freedom of expression and that the phrases denounced did constitute slander.

In the review, Judge Rodríguez Mondragón concluded that the prohibition of electoral slander is limited to the dissemination of propaganda, but The presidential debate does not share diffusion characteristics with electoral or political propaganda, since it has guarantees of impartiality and the possibility of challenging the expressions that are made.. Therefore, the contested judgment is confirmed.

In turn, projects by magistrate Felipe de la Mata also confirm resolutions of the specialist who declared the non-existence of anticipated acts by Gálvez.

These and other issues in the above-mentioned reports will likely be voted on at the upper chamber session next Wednesday.