The OAS expressed its concern about the constant attacks on the INE during the Revocation of the Mandate

The Mission of Foreign Visitors of the Organization of American States (OAS) on Tuesday expressed its concern about “the constant smear campaigns and institutional attacks against the National Electoral Institute (INE)” during the process for the popular consultation on the revocation of mandates held last Sunday, April 10.

In its Preliminary Report, published on Tuesday, the OAS stressed that voting day “was carried out peacefully and congratulated the INE for organizing the process despite the challenges it had to face.”

“In a scenario of great tension, representatives of the highest levels of government were observed to make accusations against the electoral authority,” he added.

In this context, the Mission called “for all actors to conduct themselves with respect and responsibility and to channel their discrepancies and well-founded claims through the mechanisms offered by the electoral justice system”.

In addition, he reiterated his concern “at the continuous smear campaigns and institutional attacks against the INE, which not only increase the polarization existing in the country, but also undermine democracy.”

In the report, the Mission noted that various aspects of the process were the subject of controversy, public debate, and accusations.

He highlighted that the main areas of discussion were: the regulation of the revocation, the INE budget and the number of boxes to be installed, the procedures for activating and disseminating the exercise, “as well as violations of the rules by public officials at the highest level.”

On March 11, the INE assured that there was no “boycott” by that institution of the revocation of the mandate consultation of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as he said.

“The INE's boycott narrative is false. If there was a boycott here, it was one of those who did not give the money so that all the boxes (polling stations) could be installed,” said INE's president councillor, Lorenzo Córdova, at a press conference.

Regarding the budget reduction that the electoral body received for the organization of this democratic exercise, Córdova specified that “the money they had to give to the INE in order to fulfill its obligations would mean installing all the boxes” that were installed in the interim elections of June 2021.

With 100% counted, the INE recorded a citizen participation of 17.77% and 16.5 million votes, far from the 40% that was necessary for the exercise to be binding. That is, more than eight out of 10 Mexicans decided for one reason or another not to participate in the democratic exercise.

Of these, just over 15.1 million (91.8%) voted for López Obrador to remain in office until 2024, compared to 1.06 million (6.44%) who voted in favor of the revocation and some 280,000 (1.6%) who cast invalid votes.

Also on Monday, AMLO said that if the INE had put more polls (polling stations), participation would have been greater, in one more of its claims to the electoral authority. To which the institute replied that it was false because there were the same number of ballots.

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