Mexican Senate discusses and votes on controversial "Plan B" of electoral reform proposed by President López Obrador

AMLO's plan B to achieve an electoral reform 2:58

(CNN Spanish) --

The Mexican Chamber of Senators discusses and votes this Wednesday on "Plan B" of the electoral reform initiative promoted by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and which, according to the opposition, seeks to eliminate the National Institute Electoral (INE), the body in charge of organizing elections in Mexico.

This is a legislative package from the Federal Executive that would seek to modify the country's electoral system through secondary laws.

The electoral reform initiative reaches the plenary session already corrected, after the criticism of some of its points.

The most controversial are approximately 21 that, according to the leader of the senators of the ruling party Ricardo Monreal, are in violation of the Constitution and that, as they are proposed, can be appealed before the Judiciary.

The opposition has accused this project of modifying the electoral laws before an electoral process.

This "Plan B" comes after there was not a qualified majority of at least two-thirds in the Chamber of Deputies and Senators (334 votes) to approve a constitutional reform in electoral matters.

The opposition has said that, by modifying the secondary laws, it seeks to reduce the authority and structure of the National Electoral Institute (INE).

• What is Plan C of AMLO's electoral reform and why is it controversial?

This proposal by the president "wants to weaken the electoral referee, take away more than 4,500 million pesos, take away more than 2,000 personnel, equivalent to 75% of people, taking away functions, powers and time so that the electoral referee cannot perform his duties," Gustavo Madero Muñoz, a senator from the National Action Party, told CNN.

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This Wednesday, the 11 INE councilors issued a statement in which they expressed their concern about the possible approval of this alternative plan by López Obrador and pointed out that from their analysis "deficiencies are noted that endanger the operation of the electoral processes."

At a press conference, President Lorenzo Córdova read the pronouncement and warned that these modifications in the electoral law could profoundly disrupt the electoral system built in the country.

Córdova warned that if “Plan B” is approved, 84.6% of the positions in the Electoral Professional Service and the sub-delegational structure would be eliminated, which would jeopardize the effectiveness and efficiency in the development of electoral processes and attention in the modules where the process of the credential to vote is carried out.

"Any electoral reform must be based on the broadest possible consensus among political actors and guarantee its legitimacy based on adherence to the Constitution and the laws that govern legislative procedures," the counselors said in the document.

Are free elections in danger with AMLO's electoral reform?

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Less than two years before the 2024 presidential election is held, López Obrador has argued that his initiative responds to citizens' demand for an austerity policy and to create electoral bodies that guarantee legitimate elections, without the possibility of there being fraud.

The original proposal for constitutional reform in electoral matters, sent by the federal Executive to Congress in April, establishes modifications to 18 constitutional articles and seven transitory articles, among which the disappearance of the INE, the body in charge of organizing elections in Mexico, and replace it with the so-called National Institute of Elections and Consultations (INEC).

Electoral Reform