# INE Commission Invalidates ‘Alito’ and Viggiano’s Reelection as PRI President and Secretary
The Commission of Privileges and Political Parties of the Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE) declared on September 10, 2024, the reform to the statutes of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) invalid, effectively nullifying the reelection of Rafael Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, known as “Alito,” and Alma Carolina Viggiano Austria as president and general secretary of the PRI National Executive Committee (CEN) for another four years, until 2028.
During a public session, three out of five advisors of the autonomous constitutional body determined that the PRI’s statute reforms were implemented before the electoral process concluded. Article 34 of the General Law of Political Parties prohibits modifications to core documents during ongoing elections, making the reforms unconstitutional.
“The discussion is not about when the PRI’s basic document renewal process started. Indeed, there is a repeated criterion by the Superior Chamber [of the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary] that this process can begin at any time. The point is that it cannot conclude during the prohibition period […] The reform process concluded while the results and qualification of the election were still valid,” argued advisor Arturo Castillo Loza.
Advisor Uuc-kib Espadas Ancona expressed his commitment to the self-organization of parties but emphasized that their decisions had limits. He argued that the PRI could not disregard legal fragments for convenience, even though there were precedents allowing such actions. “Holding a National Assembly while the electoral process has not concluded, involving significant segments of the militancy and state and national leaderships, compromises the ability of the entire militancy to deliberate and participate. There is no justification to make statutory modifications against the legal mandate during expressly prohibited times by the law,” stated Espadas Ancona.
The INE Commission president, Dania Paola Ravel Cuevas, criticized the PRI for claiming the reform aimed to comply with INE’s order on gender parity and political violence, which it failed to address for three years.
Despite dissent from two advisors, Norma Irene de la Cruz Magaña and Carla Astrid Humphrey Jordan, who supported the reforms, the Commission ultimately voted against the legality of the time frame in which the reforms were conducted. Humphrey Jordan highlighted, “We are talking about timing, which prevents, in the judgment of three advisors, making this assessment. Therefore, we can only determine that it is not the appropriate temporal moment without prejudging the legality or constitutionality of the reforms.”
Given this decision, the Directorate of Privileges and Political Parties must amend the project, deeming the PRI reforms illegal due to their enactment during a legally prohibited period.
Four former PRI CEN presidents filed a citizen lawsuit with the Superior Chamber of the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary (TEPJF) against the 24th National Ordinary Assembly held on July 7, 2024, which amended the statutes for the reelection of Moreno and Viggiano Austria for up to an additional eight years. The signatories included Dulce María Sauri Riancho, Pedro Joaquín Coldwell, Enrique Ochoa Reza, and Manlio Fabio Beltrones Rivera. In a joint statement, these ex-presidents argued that the 24th PRI National Ordinary Assembly on July 7, 2024, was conducted illegally and contrary to the Party’s statutes.
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## Secondary Article: Developments in Mexican Political Scene Following INE Decision
Following the INE’s decision to invalidate the reelection of Moreno Cárdenas and Viggiano Austria, the political landscape in Mexico remains tumultuous. Notably, significant confrontations have erupted in Culiacán, linking to the case against “El Mayo,” as President AMLO expressed sorrow over the death of a soldier. Concurrently, significant movements in the drug trafficking trial against “El Menchito” have also emerged, with key testimonies from “El Lobo” playing a critical role.
Meanwhile, the peso currency has witnessed depreciation, trading at 20.08 per dollar, reflecting the economic ramifications amidst ongoing political turbulence. On a related note, the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) has assumed control over the municipal police in the Mexicali valley, indicating heightened operational shifts within the region’s law enforcement.
Additionally, political tensions simmer as Marko Cortés threatened expulsion of Yunes following actions taken by Layda Sansores against the father of a Movimiento Ciudadano senator. These occurrences underscore the intricate and evolving nature of Mexico’s political and social dynamics.
Stay tuned for more updates on these unfolding stories at TJGringo.com.