The National Electoral Institute (INE) announced the sanctions for the case of influencers that violated the electoral ban. It is forbidden to advertise political parties during the voting period, to avoid a bias in voters. The influencers are charged based on their actions of promoting the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM). The sanctions will likely require them to pay 283,400 pesos (14,253 USD).

The Federal Electoral Tribunal (TEPJF) will first determine if there are violations and will impose the sanctions, according to INE. For individuals such as them, these sanctions could be: public reprimand or a fine of up to 2 thousand days of the General Minimum Wage in Mexico (SMG).

On this last case, the minimum wage in Mexico as of 2021 is equivalent to 141.70 Mexican pesos (7 USD). When multiplied by the 2 thousand days, as indicated in the fine, the result is 283,400 pesos (14,253 USD).

Further, the agency or agencies that have participated, being legal entities, may receive a fine of up to 100 thousand days of SMG, that is, the equivalent of 14 million 170 thousand pesos (712,000 USD).

Likewise, the punishment to political parties, which is the PVEM in this case, ranges from a fine of 10 thousand days of SMG (71,307 USD) or a reduction of up to 50% of its funding. If the illicit action is serious and continues to be repeated, then it can proceed to the cancellation of its registration.

INE informed that the group of influencers, and other people related to the violation of the electoral ban, are being investigated and will be summoned to present evidence and arguments. In order for the Federal Electoral Tribunal to determine if there are violations and, if so, determine the adequate sanctions.


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Accordingly, the Attorney General of the Republic in Mexico (FGR) informed, through the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Electoral Crimes (FISEL), that it also initiated an investigation after receiving “numerous complaints through its citizen attention systems, FEDENET and FEDETEL, regarding the matter of the so called ‘influencers’”.

It is worth mentioning that last June 5, one day before the 2021 Elections, around 95 influencers advertised in favor of the PVEM. They filmed themselves saying they were going to vote for them and incited their social media followers to do so as well.

The party’s propaganda was ordered to be taken down by INE. However, PVEM assured they had nothing to do with it just afterwards.

In 2015, that same party had been sanctioned for the same offenses.

 


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