Electoral justice brings out the heavy artillery against political “theater”
In a twist that no one saw coming (well, perhaps all the indigenous women of Oaxaca did), the Xalapa Regional Chamber of the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Branch of the Federation has decided that the era of “let’s pretend” is over. With a resolution that has left more than one political party in a cold sweat, the court confirmed that all political groups in the state must implement real actions to prevent practices that, surprise, affect the political participation of indigenous women. The goal? Eradicate the adorable custom of simulation of candidates, that little “structural” problem that sounds so technical but actually means: “using women as electoral decoration and then hiding them in a drawer.”
The case that uncovered the pot: Win the elections and be ignored like a ghost
All this is born from a gem of gender political violence that occurred in Chalcatongo de Hidalgo. Imagine the scene: a Mixtec indigenous woman wins the municipal elections (2023-2024), prepares for her victory speech… and then discovers that her party, in an act of pure “administrative forgetfulness”, never officially registered her. No protest, no charge, no nothing. It’s like winning the marathon and being told that you actually ran another invisible parallel race. The local court, after rubbing its eyes to make sure it was reading correctly, confirmed the facts and ordered comprehensive reparation measures. But the parties, in an outburst of corporate solidarity, contested. His master argument: “Why do we all have to pay if only one did the mischief?” The schoolyard logic did not convince the Regional Chamber, which, with two votes in favor and one against (there is always a dissident soul), said: “No, gentlemen, this is everyone’s problem.”
The presiding magistrate Roselia Bustillo Marín was in charge of giving the lesson. He clarified, with the patience of someone explaining something for the umpteenth time, that these are not sanctions, but preventive measures. Its purpose is, attention to the revolutionary concept, to guarantee rights and repair historical barriers. He said simulation requires collective solutions, which in Christian means: “Stop passing the hot ball and get to work seriously.” The resolution reinforces the obligation of the institutions to prevent, address and punish gender-based political violence, and to guarantee that internal partisan processes stop looking like a soap opera script full of betrayals and impersonations.
The impact is clear: parties will no longer be able to resort to the old trick of hiding or manipulating candidates. The substitution of real candidates for decorative figures will, in theory, have its days numbered. We seek real transparency, legality and electoral equity, not empty speeches. In the end, what this ruling screams at the top of its lungs is that the political participation of women, especially of original populations, cannot continue to be an optional annex in the parties’ operations manual. It is a right, not a favor that is granted when it suits the campaign photo.
Do you think this resolution will put an end to the theater of false candidates or will the parties find a new creative way to evade the law? Share this note and let’s make the demand for a simulation-free politics reach more people. Explore more content about electoral justice and indigenous rights on our site.
