AMLO says he could veto the distribution of votes between parties

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador anticipated that he could veto the reform to the secondary legislation recently approved by the Congress of the Union that provides for the distribution of votes between affiliated parties.

“Yes Yes. And if they do not improve it in the Chamber (of Deputies) and this happens to me and I consider that it is a contradiction and that it does affect, as the colleague says, I veto it,” he answered a specific question about it.

Regardless, he said, that this implies the invalidation of the entire package of changes, the so-called “plan b” of electoral reform.

“Even if everything is invalidated. Above the principles, nothing. Yes, there is a contradiction. Yes, yes there is a contradiction; If so, there is a contradiction.

“And, furthermore, it is not possible in any way to do something covert or that gives the impression that you are acting in a cheating manner, that has to do with the conservative bloc, they are very false and cretinous.”

When asked whether Ricardo Monreal, coordinator of the parliamentary group of the Movimiento Regeneración Nacional (Morena) party, should be expelled from the ranks of Morena for having voted against the reform promoted by him, he said no.

“No, no purges; by conviction. And, furthermore, because we don’t want them to use an attitude of intolerance to strengthen the conservative belief that we are Stalinists. No no no.

“We have an advantage, an enormous joy: we have a highly politicized people that puts everyone in their place. It is not necessary for any authority, no leader, to say that no disciplinary instance of a party decides on the behavior of a militant or a citizen, because there is a people’s court. People are already more than aware.”

“So, nothing happens if a politician makes a decision. Who is going to judge? The people, history is what will put everyone in their place.”

I did not go

Monreal assured that the reform to the General Law of Electoral Institutions and Procedures (Legipe) to allow the distribution of votes between affiliated parties was negotiated between the parliamentary groups, an agreement that he did not support.

“There is my vote, that is what speaks for me,” he replied.

“I understand that they are political agreements that are made between different parliamentary groups. Agreements were reached and honored, although these agreements translated into legislation can be reviewed by the court, which will surely end there,” he predicted.

Finally, he said that the presidential declaration that there will be no purge in Morena, referring to him for having voted against plan b for electoral reform, does not surprise him because he has known him for 26 years and with his words he confirmed his attitude of tolerance and respect, characteristic of the democrats.

rolando.ramos@eleconomista.mx