MEXICO CITY, May 28 (Reuters) - Mexico's Congress on Thursday approved a constitutional amendment that would allow for elections to be annulled if evidence of foreign interference was found, a move critics warn could weaken the electoral process and make it easier for losers to overturn results.
The proposed amendment, which the lower house approved with 307 votes in favor, 128 against, and 1 abstention, still requires Senate approval.
The ruling amends an article of the Constitution and defines foreign
interference as “illicit financing, propaganda, the systematic dissemination of disinformation, digital manipulation, and the intervention of foreign governments or agencies.”
It also covers acts of political, economic, diplomatic, or media pressure intended to influence public opinion.
FOREIGN INTERVENTION UNDERSTANDING UNCLEAR
That comes amid rising unease within the ruling Morena party about what it regards as foreign intervention in Mexican affairs. Earlier this month, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, a Spanish conservative politician representing the city of Madrid, toured Mexico and criticized the Sheinbaum government, comparing it to Cuba's Communist rule. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to interfere in Mexico's efforts to combat drug trafficking.
"There could be a risk of foreign interference in Mexico's elections," President Claudia Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference following the decision by Congress. She also recognized there have previously been instances of foreign funding for local candidates and organizations in Mexico.
"It is important to safeguard our territory from any interference," she added and stressed the need for the law to be specific and clear.
Opposition lawmakers resisted the reform, arguing ruling parties could use it as a political tool after an electoral defeat.
“We reject any foreign intervention. The problem is that we are in a debate that confuses intervention with meddling, which are different things,” said Ruben Moreira, a lawmaker from the opposition PRI party.
“The problem with this discussion is that it leads us to other debates that will arise in secondary legislation: What will happen if someone buys advertising abroad, if an international news story is disseminated in Mexico, or if the argument of meddling is used to restrict content and opinions?” Moreira added.
A second presidential bill reforming electoral law to bar candidates with organized crime ties was also approved. In late April, the U.S. unsealed an indictment accusing 10 current and former Sinaloa state officials of having links to drug trafficking — including Governor Ruben Rocha of Morena.
(Reporting by Raul Cortes and Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; Editing by Sarah Morland, Iñigo Alexander, Rod Nickel)
