OPLE embargo begins in states; crisis worsens

Six entities have Local Electoral Public Bodies (OPLE) with severe financial problems due to budget cuts or lack of administration by their local governments.

Campeche, Colima, Guerrero, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas are in this situation.

In the case of Campeche, the local Institute is obliged to pay 1.2 million pesos to the PAN and the PRD for undelivered public financing, which is added to the fact that in August and September the institute did not deliver the financing to all the parties, since that the entire balance of the institute's bank accounts is seized by the IMSS for the pending payment of worker-employer fees.

This institute has requested three times a budget increase for 15.1 million pesos, which has not been granted, and by 2024 it will have to cut 9 million from its budget, due to electoral reforms carried out in the State.

Meanwhile, in Colima, the local Institute suffered a 70% cut to its budget request, in addition to the local congress ordering a reduction in salaries for councilors and senior managers that is currently in litigation.

DELIVERIES

In addition, of the 30% of the budget that, if they approved it, the State government has not yet given them 2.6 million pesos for its operation. This OPLE reports not having resources for the start, this last quarter of the year, of the 2024 electoral year.

In Guerrero, the government owes the local institute more than 20 million pesos, and has denied it a budget increase of 72 million that it needs to fulfill its obligations with the political parties and with the start of next year's electoral process.

This Ople has already used 12.8 million that it had for the payment of bonuses and year-end benefits to deliver it to the parties as public financing. He is waiting to be authorized to use 14 million pesos that Morena returned in 2022, to be able to cover the budget holes he has for the last quarter of the year.

For the Ople of Oaxaca, the reduction was almost 60% of its budget when it had to organize the processes through Indigenous Regulatory Systems with a cost of 9.5 million pesos. This institute already owes 3 million pesos to its workers and requires 63.3 million more to bring its operating expenses up to date and cover the expenses of the start of the 2024 electoral process.

In addition, the government owes him 3.2 million for incomplete ministrations that have been delivered to him.

San Luis Potosí suffered a 74.3% reduction in its budget, the state government owes it 14.7 million pesos and, in addition, the State Congress ordered it to hold a plebiscite that the OPLE budgeted at 55 million pesos, while the congress authorized only 20 million.

Finally, in Zacatecas the local electoral institute does not have the resources to pay the bonuses or year-end benefits, it ran out of resources for materials, supplies and services in July of this year, it does not have the resources to start the 2024 electoral year. This institute has requested 36 million in budget expansion, the government says that with 20 million it could move forward, but until the presentation of the report to the INE on the budget situation of the country's OPLE, neither amount had been approved in favor of the Institute.

Antecedent

It is worth remembering that the 2014 reform transformed the former Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) into the National Electoral Institute (INE) and created the National Electoral System, thereby constitutionalizing the Public Local Electoral Bodies (OPLE).