Tens of thousands of people protested in Mexico against the electoral reform approved last week by the Chamber of Deputies. According to organizers' figures, some 500,000 people gathered this Sunday in Mexico City's Zócalo Plaza. Government sources estimated just 90,000 protestors.
¿Qué dónde está la oposición?
Estamos en todo México y hoy salimos a las calles a gritar al mismo tiempo #MiVotoNoSeToca, somos cientos de miles las mexicanas y los mexicanos que lucharemos por la democracia y el futuro del país. pic.twitter.com/CmlP5qtvd5— 🇲🇽Santiago Creel (@SantiagoCreelM) February 27, 2023
In addition to the capital, there were protests in dozens of cities against legislation promoted by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO). The protestors, dressed in pink (the color of the official electoral oversight body), shouted slogans such as, “Don’t touch the National Electoral Institute," or, "Don’t touch my vote," making reference to the fact that the upcoming voting could be corrupted.
Hoy México hizo historia. El pueblo mexicano salió a las calles a defender las instituciones, ante los intentos de López Obrador para desmantelarlas y mantenerse en el poder. Por la libertad y la democracia, sin banderas políticas. El INE no se toca. pic.twitter.com/nYJ9FldpS0
— Agustín Antonetti (@agusantonetti) February 26, 2023
López Obrador was also the subject of numerous protests. Among the crowd, there were banners with the slogan "AMLO goes, INE stays" or "AMLO, your ineptitude cannot be corrected by killing INE." Other chants went further, claiming that with this new law there will be "dictatorship and repression.”
Electoral reform
Last week, the General Congress of the United Mexican States approved the so-called Plan B. This law will cut the budget and staff of the National Electoral Institute (INE) by 24 billion pesos, about $1.2 billion dollars.
In December, the Chamber of Deputies rejected this reform. Although it had more votes in favor than against, it failed to obtain the necessary two-thirds majority needed for approval. Last Thursday, AMLO managed to convince his partners in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate to push through his proposal.
▶️ El Senado aprobó la reforma en materia electoral conocida como "Plan B".
Se remite al Ejecutivo Federal lo avalado por ambas Cámaras. pic.twitter.com/EzvfH5DDHJ— Senado de México (@senadomexicano) February 23, 2023