### INE Could Spend Nearly 13 Billion Pesos on Judicial Elections
The Mexican National Electoral Institute (INE), led by Uuc-kib Espadas Ancona, is preparing for significant expenditures for the upcoming judicial elections. Set for June 1, 2025, this election will determine judges, magistrates, and ministers and is projected to cost approximately 12.9 billion pesos. This estimate is part of the INE’s preliminary budget proposal for 2025, which outlines their financial needs for the upcoming year.
The budget includes 15.2 billion pesos for operational expenses and institutional projects, primarily for annual operations and salaries. Additionally, a precautionary budget of 4.6 billion pesos has been set aside for a potential public consultation. Political party funding requirements are projected to be 7.3 billion pesos, subject to approval by the Chamber of Deputies.
This anticipated spending marks a significant increase from the costs of the 2024 elections, which involved the election of a president, senators, and deputies, amounting to 8.8 billion pesos.
On October 23, INE confirmed that it would continue organizing the 2024-2025 extraordinary electoral process. This decision followed a ruling by the Federal Electoral Tribunal that suspension of these electoral processes was constitutionally unfeasible. Previously, INE’s preparations were halted due to over 140 federal judicial orders aimed at stopping election-related activities. However, the INE, under the leadership of Guadalupe Taddei Zavala, decided to proceed, arguing that electoral affairs are not subject to such injunctions and emphasizing that the correct course of action involves electoral court proceedings.
As part of this process, Magistrate Felipe de la Mata Pizaña has approved an INE’s request for a declaratory judgment ensuring the fulfillment of the INE’s responsibilities in organizing the elections.
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### Secondary Article: Debate Surrounding Election Costs
In response to the proposed budget, some public officials and commentators have raised concerns about the spending. Leonel Godoy, a prominent Mexican politician, argued that the estimate for the judicial elections should not exceed the expenditures of presidential elections, suggesting that something may be amiss with the budget figures. He emphasized the need for transparency and efficiency in electoral spending.
Additionally, environmental issues continue to concern Mexicali, where the city remains under alert due to high pollution levels. This reflects a growing trend where social and environmental factors increasingly intersect with political and electoral issues, adding complexity to the decisions surrounding budget allocations.
Meanwhile, former Mexico City mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum, recently promoted welfare initiatives and praised the administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) in Rosarito, highlighting the ongoing political campaigns and public policy discourse as the nation prepares for its next electoral cycle.
These developments underline the multiple dimensions influencing electoral politics in Mexico, from budgetary considerations to broader social and environmental contexts.