Collectives and opposition parties have called on citizens to demonstrate against Plan B for electoral reform. (dark room)

After the approval in the Senate of the Republic of Electoral Reform Plan Bthe call to demonstrate in favor of the National Electoral Institute (INE), leads Unitsspread over more than 100 cities in seven different countries.

In addition to the rallies that will take place in Mexico on February 26, 2023, countries like Spain, UNITED STATESCosta Rica, the Czech Republic, Portugal and France will also concentrate some of the mobilizations that reject the changes to the functioning of the INE envisaged in Plan B.

United States (hours in local time):

-Austin, Texas. 11:00 a.m. at the Mexican Consulate.

-Brownsville, Texas. 11:00 a.m. at the Mexican Consulate.

– Houston, Texas. 11:00 a.m. in front of the Mexican Consulate.

-McAllen, Texas. 11:00 a.m. at the Mexican Consulate.

-San Antonio, Texas. 11:00 a.m. at the Mexican Consulate.

– Los Angeles, California. 11:00 a.m. at the Mexican Consulate.

– San Diego, California. 11:00 a.m. in front of the Mexican Consulate.

– Washington, DC 12:00 p.m. in front of the Mexican Embassy.

The Mexican Embassy in Washington, DC will be one of the points of concentration for the defense of the INE.  (Twitter/@ Embamex USA)
The Mexican Embassy in Washington, DC will be one of the points of concentration for the defense of the INE. (Twitter/@ Embamex USA)

Spain (timetables in local time):

– Barcelona, ​​​​5:00 p.m. at the Mexican Consulate.

– Madrid, 11:00 a.m. at the Residence of the Embassy of Mexico.

France:

– Paris, 11:00 a.m. local time, at the Embassy of Mexico.

Portugal:

– Madeira Island, 5:00 p.m. local time. on Av. Do Mar in Funchal.

Costa Rica:

– San José, 12:00 local time in front of the Mexican Embassy.

Czech Republic:

– Prague, 11:00 a.m. in front of the Mexican Embassy building.

In Mexico, the most publicized demonstration in the media and social networks is that of Mexico City, which will take place on February 26 at 11 a.m. on the esplanade of the zócalo of the capital.

Another example of the commotion Plan B’s approval has caused in the Senate internationally is a recent lead story in The New York Times, which considered that the green light for Plan B implies a “blow for the institution that oversees the vote and who two decades ago helped lift the country out of one-party rule.

The changes promoted by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador “will reduce the personnel of the electoral body, decrease their autonomy and they will limit their ability to disqualify applicants who break the law.

The article written by journalist Natalie Kitroeff recalled that the INE, formerly the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) “gained international recognition” in the year 2000 for having organized the elections which allowed the alternation of a PRI mandate to an administration controlled by the National Action Party (PAN), ending decades of one-party rule.

The Senate approved the reforms envisaged in Plan B. (GRACIELA LÓPEZ / CUARTOSCURO)
The Senate approved the reforms envisaged in Plan B. (GRACIELA LÓPEZ / CUARTOSCURO)

Although the package of electoral reforms has been endorsed by the Senate, it is still expected that the parliamentary opposition, made up of the PAN, the PRI, the PRD and the Mouvement citoyen, will appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice of the nation (SCJN) to challenge the congressional resolution in the hope that it be declared “unconstitutional”.

However, the partisan bloc that spoke out against Plan B faces an additional obstacle, since the deadline for the SCJN to decide on the matter is May 31, 2023. In this sense, they accused the Movement of national regeneration (Morena) to intentionally delay the approval of the reform package, since a break was made in December due to the end of the ordinary session.

In the event that the SCJN does not reverse the opinion of the Senate, the amendments to the general law on electoral institutions and procedures, general law on political parties and organic law on the judiciary will be maintained; In addition, the general law on the means of contestation in electoral matters will be promulgated.

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