Thousands protest against electoral overhaul in Mexico  By Reuters

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -1000’s gathered in cities all through Mexico on Sunday to protest in opposition to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s drive to shrink the unbiased electoral authority, arguing the adjustments threaten democracy – an accusation he vigorously denies.

Mexico’s Congress final week authorised a serious overhaul of the Nationwide Electoral Institute (INE), which Lopez Obrador has repeatedly attacked as corrupt and inefficient.

Critics of the laws, which is able to slash the INE’s finances and employees, are holding marches in Mexico Metropolis and different main cities because the contentious shake-up seems poised to go earlier than the Mexican Supreme Courtroom.

Veronica Echevarria, a 58-year-old psychologist from Mexico Metropolis participating within the protest, mentioned she was apprehensive Lopez Obrador’s overhaul of the INE was an try by him to take management of the electoral authority so he may keep in energy.

“We’re combating to defend our democracy,” she mentioned, carrying a cap emblazoned with the phrases “Arms off the INE.”

She and 1000’s of others converged in direction of the Zocalo through town’s Paseo de la Reforma Boulevard on Sunday morning, a lot of them wearing pink, the colours of the INE.

Video footage on social media confirmed folks approaching the sq. holding banners saying ‘palms off my vote’.

The INE and its predecessor performed a key function in making a pluralistic democracy that in 2000 ended many years of 1 celebration rule, in line with many political analysts.

Fernando Belaunzaran, an opposition politician who helped to prepare the protests, mentioned the adjustments weakened the electoral system and elevated the chance of disputes clouding the 2024 elections when Lopez Obrador’s successor shall be chosen.

“Usually presidents attempt to have governability and stability for his or her succession, however the president is creating uncertainty,” mentioned Belaunzaran. “He is enjoying with hearth.”

Belaunzaran mentioned in a tweet on Sunday there can be marches in additional than 100 cities.

Mexican presidents could solely serve a single six-year time period.

Lopez Obrador, a 69-year-old leftist who contends he was robbed of the presidency twice earlier than he lastly romped to a crushing victory within the 2018 election, argues the INE is just too costly and biased in favor of his opponents.

The institute denies this.

In keeping with the INE, the president’s overhaul violates the structure, curbs the institute’s independence and eliminates 1000’s of jobs devoted to safeguarding the electoral course of, making it tougher to carry free and truthful elections.

Lopez Obrador has additionally weakened different autonomous our bodies that verify his energy on the grounds that they’re a drain on the general public purse and hostile to his political challenge. He says his INE shake-up will save $150 million a 12 months.

Final week he known as the INE “anti-democratic” and a instrument of the ruling elite, accusing it of fomenting electoral fraud.

Polls present the president’s Nationwide Regeneration Motion (MORENA), which in only a few years has grow to be the dominant power in Mexico, is a powerful favourite to win the 2024 election.

Critics of the INE overhaul argue Lopez Obrador isn’t assured MORENA can retain energy with out interference within the electoral course of. He denies this.

Belaunzaran and his fellow demonstrators purpose to fill Mexico Metropolis’s fundamental sq., which abuts the presidential palace, and holds political significance.

Through the years the Zocalo has hosted many rallies fronted by Lopez Obrador, each as president and through his lengthy profession as an opposition scourge of the Mexican institution.

Demonstrators hope Sunday’s protest will muster much more assist than the tens of 1000’s who turned out in November to denounce Lopez Obrador’s earlier, unsuccessful bid to push by constitutional adjustments to reform the INE.