Mexicans Protest Election Reforms, Echoing Debates in Other Democracies

Protests broke out in cities throughout Mexico on Sunday over President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s electoral reform law. 

The Controversy: On February 22, Mexico’s Congress passed López Obrador’s proposal to limit the powers and cut the staff of the country’s election administrator, the National Electoral Institute (Instituto Nacional Electoral, or INE). López Obrador has argued that the law would save money and make voting more efficient, but critics say the law would weaken a key pillar of the country’s democracy. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) issued a joint statement accusing López Obrador of “repeated attempts to sabotage Mexico’s democratic institutions,” saying the new law “not only sets the clock back on its democracy, but also U.S.-Mexico relations.”

For Context: Debates over electoral systems in other countries have echoed those in the U.S. On January 8, Brazilians protesting the election loss of Jair Bolsonaro stormed the country’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace — echoing the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

How the Media Covered It: AllSides could find no original coverage from right-rated outlets by Monday afternoon; some right-rated outlets included wire service articles from AP (Lean Left bias). Coverage was widespread in left and center-rated outlets, including outlets based in other countries. Coverage was unclear on the number of protesters; while protest organizers said over 500,000 turned out in Mexico City alone, government sources said only 90,000 showed up.