The president addressed the scandal surrounding the La Derecha Diario news site.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that the National Electoral Institute (INE) must prevent the use of bots on social media during election campaigns to avoid interference by foreign interests, as has occurred in other countries.

“The National Electoral Institute is the body that organizes elections—it is an autonomous institution—and the Electoral Tribunal is the one that ultimately certifies the election results,” the president stated at a press conference, with 10 months remaining until the elections that will renew the 500 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 17 governorships. “They must define the rules and characteristics regarding social media propaganda.”

“We sought to have this included in electoral law, but it was not approved. So, from my perspective, it is the INE—as always—that must define at least the limitations regarding propaganda,” she said. This followed a journalist’s question about whether she feared disinformation campaigns aimed at influencing the vote in the Mexican elections or cyber-fraud similar to that alleged by former Colombian President Gustavo Petro during past elections in Colombia.

Sheinbaum explained that the situations differ because in the South American country, votes are counted by a private company, whereas in Mexico, they are counted by citizens selected to serve as polling station representatives.

However, she warned of the risks of electoral manipulation promoted and carried out by media outlets such as La Derecha Diario. “They have stated it publicly themselves: they engage in propaganda during election periods in various countries across the Americas. One was arrested in Bolivia for attempted femicide,” she recalled, referring to the international scandal involving Argentinian consultant Fernando Cerimedo, who served as an advisor to right-wing presidents Javier Milei (Argentina), Rodrigo Paz (Bolivia), and Nasry Asfura (Honduras), as well as former president Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil.

“What we must do is expose the nature of this network—linked to vast sums of money—operating on digital platforms to run campaigns. We need to go door-to-door to communicate the government’s vision,” Sheinbaum stated.

5 Damning Revelations in Cerimedo Mexico Elections Interference Plot

(RT)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

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