Failed: Eduardo Verástegui fails to get enough signatures for presidential candidacy

Eduardo Verástegui fails to get enough signatures for presidential candidacy – Verástegui and seven other candidates without a party will not meet the requirements established by the National Electoral Institute (INE).

By Megan Sauer

The ambitious political plans of the controversial Mexican actor, producer and political activist, Eduardo Verástegui ( Sound of Freedom ), have suffered a severe setback by failing to collect the necessary number of signatures to support their independent presidential candidacy.

With the deadline practically expired, Verástegui and seven other candidates without a party will not comply with the requirements established by the National Electoral Institute (INE), leaving them off the ballot for the next elections.

The INE established that independent pre-candidates must obtain at least 961,405 signatures, equivalent to 1% of the electoral roll, distributed in at least 17 states of the country.

Until the deadline, Verástegui submitted a total of 165,666 signatures, of which only 139,162 were considered valid, representing just 14% of those necessary.

Despite this setback, the founder of the ultra-Catholic movement Viva México requested an extension of the deadline until January 18, the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Branch of the Federation (TEPJF) and INE denied the request.

The actor, visibly frustrated, expressed his dissatisfaction in an interview with the Despierta América program (via El País), arguing that there were “countless cases” of people who wanted to support him, but had problems with the INE’s electronic application.

Verástegui also criticized the electoral authority’s lack of flexibility in not allowing the physical collection of signatures, an option that he had proposed as an alternative to the exclusive use of the mobile application.

Although the INE admitted that his application was down for 55 hours in four days, the Electoral Court magistrates considered that the applicant did not adequately justify his reasons for requesting an extension or for exempting himself from using the application.

This refusal has left Verástegui just days away from being excluded from the 2024 elections, leading him to announce the creation of his own political party as a response to adversity.

Verástegui’s foray into politics has revealed the advance of far-right groups in Mexico.

Last year, his platform organized the Conservative Action Political Conference (CPAC) in Mexico City, an event that included the participation of figures such as Steve Bannon, Trump’s strategist, and the current president of Argentina, the ultra-conservative Javier Milei.

The actor, known for his ultra-conservative and far-right ideas, had previously stated that his pursuit of the presidency was “God’s will.”

However, it seems that this time, the divine will has not materialized as he expected. In the history of Mexico, the relationship between religion and the extreme right has been marked by various moments of collaboration and tensions.

The Catholic Church has played an influential role in the country’s politics, especially during periods of conflict and social change.

During the Porfiriato, the government of Porfirio Díaz (1876-1911), a close alliance was established between Church and State, consolidating the power of the oligarchy and restricting civil liberties.

Verástegui, born in Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas, in 1974, began his career as a member of the pop group Kairo before standing out in acting and producing films with social content through his company Metanoia Films.

Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards and recognitions, both for his artistic work and for his charitable activism.

Despite this setback on his path to the presidency, Verástegui will continue to be a controversial figure on the Mexican political scene, and the creation of his own party could further alter the electoral landscape in the coming years.