Mexico: a referendum to hold former presidents to account
Audio 01:16
A banner with the images of several former Mexican presidents, calling on citizens to participate in a referendum on whether the former presidents should stand trial for their alleged crimes while in office, in Zocalo Square, Mexico City, on July 26, 2021. AP - Fernando Llano
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
Today, for the first time in its history, Mexico is organizing a popular consultation at the national level.
Mexicans nickname it consultation to judge or not the former presidents, which is at the initiative of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
The Supreme Court ultimately decided to remove
ad hominem
attack
from the issue.
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With our correspondent in Mexico,
Antonella Francini
Originally, Mexicans were supposed to vote on whether or not to judge former presidents.
It is ultimately a question of clarifying the political decisions of the past.
Carlos Gonzalez, teacher and activist for a more participatory democracy in Mexico, explains that in both cases, the consultation will not change the law which already allows politicians to be tried at the end of their mandate.
“
We cannot ask people if they want justice to be applied, if they want victims to be recognized.
This is unacceptable, he
believes.
It seems lamentable to me that we spoil this first time in this way.
"
Opponents see consultation as a political strategy by the president to give the impression that he is acting against corruption.
Some supporters, on the contrary, consider it an opportunity to put pressure on the political class.
This is the opinion of Omar Garcia, a young activist and lawyer, who survived the massacre of 43
students in Ayoztinapa
in 2014. An unresolved case.
"
In Mexico, the authorities do not move a finger if the people do not come forward," he
comments
.
The popular consultation serves to put real brakes on power.
"
Ultimately, the two camps want the same thing: that Mexico finally finds a solution to the problem of corruption of politicians and more generally of impunity.
In the country, more than 90% of the crimes denounced are never punished.
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Mexico
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Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador