Mexico’s Ruling Party Pushes for Sweeping Electoral and Anti-Corruption Reforms
Mexico’s ruling Morena party is preparing a broad overhaul of the country’s political and judicial systems, including significant changes to electoral processes and anti-corruption measures. The proposed reforms, which could involve amendments to the Constitution, are being spearheaded by Morena’s leadership in the Chamber of Deputies and come after the party secured substantial majorities in both houses of Congress following the June 2 elections.
According to Deputy Alfonso Ramírez Cuéllar, a key figure in the legislative push, the reforms aim to address deep-seated issues of corruption and the influence of organized crime within the government. He stated the diagnosis is that both prosecutors and auditors – in some cases – function as “just another employee” of the government, even at the federal level. This, he argues, has led to the infiltration of criminal organizations at all levels of governance.
The anti-corruption component of the proposed changes includes a restructuring of the National Anti-Corruption System (SNA), beginning with specialized prosecutor’s offices and state audits. Morena intends to debate candidate profiles in public forums and eliminate the possibility of reelection for auditors and heads of internal control organs. The party also aims to dismantle the National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data (INAI), a move initiated during the previous administration.
Ramírez Cuéllar emphasized the need to eradicate what he called a “total” lack of accountability, ensuring that no official, legislator, or governor has privileged legal status to evade justice. He highlighted the importance of citizen participation through denunciation of corruption and participation in revocations of mandate as key elements of the reforms.
The proposed reforms encompass five main areas: eliminating legal protections for officials (fuero), rebuilding the anti-corruption system, amending the Organic Law of Congress to strengthen oversight and candidate selection processes for auditors, bolstering citizen reporting mechanisms, and unifying and strengthening systems for revoking mandates.
Changes to the system of fiscalization are also planned, including reducing the deadlines for the Federation Superior Audit Office (ASF) to deliver its reports. The goal is to shorten these timelines to achieve the real-time reporting originally envisioned with the creation of the SNA a decade ago. The proposal suggests a single individual report in August, replacing the current two reports in June and October, and delivering the general executive report on January 20th instead of February 20th.
Further, the reforms seek to prohibit familial ties between audit officials and the public administration, as well as between ASF employees and public servants. The selection of the superior auditor would be conducted through forums with civil society organizations and academic institutions to identify the best candidate.
Alongside the anti-corruption measures, Morena is also pursuing electoral reform, with a focus on scrutinizing the financing of political parties, their expenditures, and their income. Ramírez Cuéllar argued that greater penalties are needed for candidates and parties that accept criminal money, as this is degrading Mexico’s state institutions.
The legislative agenda is being driven by a “permanent constituent power,” a concept championed by Ricardo Monreal, the leader of the Morena-led coalition in the Chamber of Deputies. Monreal has been instrumental in pushing through these sweeping reforms, despite criticism from opposition politicians and concerns from investors. The lower house’s recent approval of a law dissolving seven watchdog public bodies demonstrates the party’s determination to implement its agenda.
The reforms are rooted in a list of 20 changes proposed by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in February. What was initially considered a wish list has now become a concrete plan following Morena’s electoral gains. The legislative branch, under Monreal’s leadership, is actively shepherding these changes through the lower house.
However, the government’s actions have faced scrutiny, including from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Despite this, the ruling coalition has moved forward with a major overhaul of the judiciary. The proposed changes aim to address what Morena views as systemic weaknesses in Mexico’s political and legal frameworks, but they also raise concerns about the potential for an authoritarian shift and the erosion of the rule of law.
