The Institute of Elections and Citizen Participation (IEPC) of the Mexican state of Chiapas has determined not to hold elections in the municipalities of Pantelhó and Chicomuselo. This decision comes in response to escalating violence and a pronounced lack of security in these areas. The move, announced just days before the federal elections in Mexico, underscores the pressing security challenges plaguing certain regions of the country.
The IEPC’s decision aligns with the National Electoral Institute’s (INE) agreements from District Councils 02 and 08 in Chiapas, which sanctioned the suspension of all polling stations in Pantelhó and Chicomuselo due to recorded acts of violence. María Magdalena Vila Domínguez, the provisional president counselor of the IEPC, lamented the situation, stating that “a few’s ambitions have prevailed over citizens’ right to exercise their vote freely and peacefully,” a sentiment echoed by representatives of political parties.
Further complicating the electoral landscape, the INE has confirmed that at least 222 polling stations will be closed during the June 2nd elections due to security concerns or social unrest. This disruption affects approximately 120,000 voters who will need to leave their communities to cast their votes, with a significant number of the affected polling places located in Chiapas (read more).
Recent incidents have illustrated the severity of the violence surrounding the elections in Chiapas. Notably, Pablo Fabián López López, a candidate for the Party of the Democratic Revolution, publicly denounced an attack against him by Morena supporters (details here).
According to the organization Electoral Laboratory, the ongoing 2023-2024 electoral process is already the most violent in recent Mexican history. Their research indicates a troubling pattern of violent incidents, including 34 assassinations of candidates, 65 cases of assault, 108 threats, and 17 kidnappings from June 2023 to May 2024 (source).
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