Lawmakers extend gubernatorial term

State lawmakers approved Monday night a bill to modify the state constitution and extend the next governor’s term to five years from two years.

Most of the lawmakers of the governing National Action Party, along with the opposition legislators, voted in favor of the last-hour bill.

Assembly members Andrés de la Rosa, Eva María Vazquez and Jorge Núñez were absent, while Miguel Osuna Millán abstained.

Earlier, Assembly Speaker Benjamín Gómez called for a special meeting.

The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Víctor Morán, of the President’s National Regeneration Movement Party.

The lawmaker justified the proposal by saying citizens demanded the term modification. However, social media users harshly criticized the measure.

Also, Morán said a two-year term imposes time limits for projects initiated by the incoming administration, and it would require the state to conduct a multimillion election again in 2021.

If enacted, the bill would extend Jaime Bonilla’s term until Oct. 31, 2024.

However, on Tuesday Gov. Francisco Vega announced his intention not to enact the bill.

Lawmakers approved years ago a bill to reduce the term to two years starting 2019 to hold state and Mexican elections concurrently in 2021.

National Action Party Chair Marko Cortes said the party plans to file a Constitutional appeal with the Supreme Court while considering expelling of lawmakers who voted in favor of the bill.

State and Mexicali chairs José Luis Ovando and Javier Gutierrez, respectively, supported Cortes on Twitter.

“This is bad news for our state,” former governor candidate Oscar Vega wrote on Twitter.

Claudia Ruiz, Mexican Chair of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI in Spanish, also threatened to expel the five lawmakers from her party who voted for the bill. In contrast, former PRI gubernatorial candidate Nancy Sánchez indicated on Facebook her approval of the term extension.

Former State Electoral Court Justice President Martín Rios said the constitutional reform requires approval from three out of the five city councils.

On Tuesday, the Ensenada City Council voted in favor of the constitutional reform. Mexicali’s City Council members were called for a meeting Tuesday evening to address the issue and possibly conduct a vote.

Mexico’s Employer Confederation President Gustavo de Hoyos and former local Elections Board member Rodrigo Martinez consider filing a Constitutional appeal case with the Supreme Court as well.

Political analyst and columnist Victor Espinoza said the term extension was approved in order to appoint a member of the National Action Party as state auditor.

Lawmakers appointed Carlos Montejo Oceguera to the job during the same meeting Monday night.