Gerardo Fernández Noroña challenges the magistrates of the Electoral Tribunal of Michoacán to publicly explain the ruling that recognises him as a violator of Uruapan's mayor, Grecia Quiroz.
Senator Gerardo Fernández Noroña has issued a public challenge to the magistrates of the Electoral Tribunal of the State of Michoacán (TEEM) to explain the ruling that declares him a political gender violator against Uruapan's mayor, Grecia Quiroz García. In a video released this Thursday, the Morena legislator questions the legal foundations of the resolution and warns that it sets a dangerous precedent for political debate between men and women.
The root of the conflict: criticisms that led to sanctions
The TEEM ruling, which is not yet final, states that Noroña committed political violence against Quiroz by labelling her accusation against several Morena colleagues as “irresponsible”. The senator referred to the mayor as “fascist” and claimed that she had “awakened ambition” for electoral purposes. According to the tribunal, these expressions constitute gender violence and must be recorded in the National Registry of Sanctioned Persons.
Noroña, visibly upset, maintains that his statements do not exceed the usual tone of political debate and that, had they been directed at a man, they would not have been sanctioned. “If I were to say to a man who takes over from his murdered wife, and that man, eight days after taking office, accuses a Morena senator who is the strongest candidate for the governorship in Michoacán of having murdered his wife, and I tell him that his accusation is irresponsible, that it has an evident electoral intention […] would you tell me that this is political gender violence?” he poses in the video.
A precedent that the senator considers “arbitrary”
For the legislator, the TEEM is “setting a very serious precedent” by closing the possibility of equal political debate between men and women. “What you are proposing is nonsense,” he asserts, accusing the magistrates of disregarding the Constitution “as if it were nothing”. Noroña insists that he did not lie or disrespect anyone, and that his criticisms fall within the right to free political expression.
The TEEM resolution has sparked intense debate in the Michoacán political sphere. While feminist organisations and advocates for women's rights applaud the decision as a step forward against political violence, sectors close to Noroña describe it as “excessive” and limiting to political criticism. The senator, who is seen as one of the strongest candidates for the governorship of Michoacán, views this sanction as an attempt to damage his reputation and close off his political path.
“They want to label me as a violator, which is an infamy. They are trying to close off my path to political activity and are contributing to the smear campaigns that the right constantly directs against me. I will not accept it,” he declared.
What does the ruling imply for Noroña and for political debate?
If the ruling is upheld, Gerardo Fernández Noroña's name will be recorded in the National Registry of Sanctioned Persons for Political Violence against Women on Gender Grounds. This could have consequences for his political career, such as disqualification from holding public office for a certain period. However, the senator is confident that the ruling will be overturned in higher instances.
For the citizen interested in politics, this case sets a precedent regarding the limits of criticism in electoral campaigns. Expressions that were previously considered part of normal debate may now be sanctioned if directed at a woman with gender connotations. Noroña warns that, if the TEEM's criteria are maintained, “it would be the death of political debate between women and men in the country.”
The senator has challenged the magistrates to publicly demonstrate that his statements constitute gender violence, while the TEEM maintains its position. The final word will rest with the higher courts, but the debate is already underway in the Michoacán public opinion.
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