President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed skepticism about support from PT and PVEM for her Plan B on electoral reform, to be sent to Congress on Monday, March 16. Following the rejection of the original proposal in the Chamber of Deputies, the plan aims to reduce privileges in local congresses and allow popular consultations on electoral issues. Sheinbaum emphasized that she does not see this as a defeat and will prioritize citizen participation.
President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed on Friday, March 13, during her morning conference in Colima, her skepticism about the Partido del Trabajo (PT) and Partido Verde Ecologista de México (PVEM) supporting her Plan B for electoral reform. 'Vamos a ver cómo responden, entiendo que han llegado con buen ánimo, pero vamos a ver si solo es ánimo o también están de acuerdo', the president stated, recalling the rejection of the original initiative in the Chamber of Deputies, where even allies voted against it.
The Plan B, to be sent to Congress next Monday, proposes changes that do not require deep constitutional reforms, such as reducing the number of regidores in municipalities and setting budget caps for local congresses and the Senate, saving up to 4 billion pesos to allocate to citizen needs. It also aims to strengthen popular consultations by allowing electoral topics, like party political funding amounts, to be put to citizen vote, currently prohibited. Sheinbaum posed: '¿Por qué no le preguntamos a la gente?'.
Another element is advancing the revocation of mandate to the third or fourth year of government, instead of the current fourth year, and analyzing the postponement of the 2027 judicial election to 2028 to reduce logistical costs, based on an opinion requested from the INE. The president dismissed a break with allies and defended that the initiative seeks to eliminate privileges in the political system.
Ricardo Monreal, Morena's coordinator in the Chamber of Deputies, admitted that Plan B involves constitutional reforms and requires a qualified majority, thus depending on PT and PVEM support. After a six-hour meeting at the National Palace with party leaders, Monreal praised Sheinbaum's 'generosity'. However, Luis Carlos Ugalde, former IFE counselor, criticized the plan as 'cosmetic' changes that do not address core democracy issues and could polarize the 2027 election.
Sheinbaum rejected criticisms of dissenting PT and PVEM deputies, such as banners in Oaxaca labeling them 'traitors', stating that 'el pueblo de México sabe quiénes votaron a favor y en contra'.
