Through savings and structural adjustments, electoral entities are streamlined and efficient: SG

Newspaper La Jornada
Wednesday, December 7, 2022, p. 4

The initiative to reform secondary laws on electoral matters politically and economically delimits the National Electoral Institute (INE) and reduces its structure, and limits the Electoral Tribunal of the Judiciary of the Federation so that it does not cancel candidacies with exorbitant or disproportionate penaltiesas happened with the cases of Guerrero and Michoacán in 2021.

In this sense, it is prohibited to impose sanctions based on an interpretation of the magistrates, whom he accuses of provoke arbitrariness by promoting illicit political negotiations.

In the explanatory statement of the Executive’s proposal, which was delivered yesterday by the Secretary of the Interior, Adán Augusto López, it is argued that the INE has become a body controlled by the political parties; he is part of a privileged bureaucratic elite and has a lousy administration.

With the changes to the General Law of Electoral Institutions and Procedures and the General Law of Political Parties, the review of the INE staff is ordered, with emphasis on the salaries of the leadership, so that no one in this sector earns more than the president of the Republic.

The initiative sent by the Executive, which was turned over to commissions only for Morena to present it in its entirety later in plenary session, warns that the formation of a bureaucratic elite in the electoral system is one of the great ballasts, in the form of autonomous bodies , one of the most harmful legacies of neoliberal governments.

The INE, he adds, is the best example of this type of organization, today it has turned an academic elite into a guarantor of abuses, in the use of public spending and an accomplice in protecting fraudulent and illegal electoral conduct, which has delayed the political transition of Mexico towards democracy.

Among the adjustments to the INE, it is proposed that the executive secretariat be an assistant to the General Council, for which reason the dismissal of Edmundo Jacobo Molina, current head of that area, is proposed.

It is proposed to prohibit the electoral body from making similar decisions beyond its powers and, among the measures for independent parties and candidates, the prohibition of disseminating political or electoral propaganda that contains expressions that slander the the governments in turn.

It is proposed to set up an administration commission made up of five directors to replace the executive general meeting (where the main INE officials are currently made up); Thus, the direction of electoral organization is merged with that of training and civic education; here will also be added that of liaison with local electoral public bodies, while that of administration with that of the electoral professional service. The computer unit is also integrated here.

The technical litigation unit merges with the legal department; the control unit becomes the executive management. And the prerogatives commission absorbs the radio and television committee.

electoral justice

The disappearance of the Specialized Chamber of the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary is expected, which is currently in charge of resolving whether there are anticipated acts of campaigning or illegal use of public resources and eventually imposing sanctions and fines. Now this function will go to a resolver section of the Superior Chamber of this same court.

Based on a reform to the Organic Law of the Judiciary of the Federation, a procedure is established for the removal of the head of the Presidency of the Superior Chamber of the TEPJF, when it is proven that engaged in conduct that violates guiding principles.

Also, in terms of electoral justice, the system of means of challenge is updated and the single complaint procedure is created, and the causes for the rejection of files are reduced.

Cuts, adjustments and prohibitions

Although the confirmed concurrent powers of the INE, as the governing authority, and of the local public bodies, at the same time the structures of both instances are compacted.

The initiative indicates that the district bodies go from permanent to temporary, which reduces their number from 300 to approximately 260 during the non-electoral period; It is eliminated the administrative branch of the national electoral professional serviceand the telegraphic franchise of political parties is suppressed.

Regarding the contests, the calendars are modified to compact processes and rationalize the available resources; likewise, the Preliminary Electoral Results Program is unified with the computations, so that the official counting of votes begins as soon as the polls close (Sunday at six in the afternoon) and not until the Wednesday following election day.

In addition to confirming equal opportunities to run for a popularly elected position, as well as to exercise the vote, and fixing that Mexicans abroad only vote online, the initiative reduces the times of the electoral processes, from the selection to the training of citizens who will be polling station officials.

In an interview, Adán Augusto López affirmed that the initiative was prepared by a group of lawyers from the legal department of the Presidency of the Republic, of the Interior, as well as legislators from Morena represented before the INE; this last group is headed by Mario Llergo.

waste in high school

The initiative points out that the INE staff is made up of 17,569 workers and at least 123 of its officials earn higher salaries than the President of the Republic.

The sum of the annual salary of the 11 electoral advisers is 34 thousand 667 million, that is, 11 people in the INE cost the treasury the same as 4,938 teachers of upper secondary education in the country per yearindicates the document.

For now, the current Executive Secretary of the INE, Edmundo Jacobo Molina, right arm of the President Counselor, Lorenzo Córdova, is being fired; the two INE trusts (real estate fund and labor liability fund) are eliminated.

At an operational level, it confirms the control of the electoral roll by the INE, but highlights the duplication of functions and waste of resources. In short, with the creation of the National Electoral System, the changes in the structure of the central, local and district bodies and with the reduction of time and processes, it is expected to generate savings of around 3 thousand 605 million pesos, equivalent amount to 143 thousand pensions for the elderly, for example.

The package includes changes to the Social Communication and Public Servant Responsibilities laws.