Iván Bernal, the former Catholic priest running for mayor of Agua Prieta, is not eligible to hold public office, Mexico’s Federal Electoral Tribunal concluded.
The Sonora Electoral Tribunal had said Bernal hadn’t been separated from the church for at least five years, the time required by law before becoming a political candidate.
The federal tribunal determined Bernal had not suspended his ministry in time for the June 7 elections, violating Article 130 of the Mexican Constitution.
Bernal’s candidacy under the banner of the National Action Party (PAN) was challenged by rivals, led by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).
The PAN has named local businessman Héctor Rubalcava as a substitute.
Bernal, who is joining Rubalcava at campaign events, told followers that the election was not about him. “The intent of this movement was not to put one person in power, but to have Agua Prieta reclaim that power and regain its dignity,” he said.
The border city’s current mayor, Irma Villalobos, is the wife of PRI candidate Vicente Terán. Together, the couple has occupied the mayor’s office for 12 years since Terán was first elected in 1997.
Although the separation of church and state must be maintained, Miguel Ángel Vázquez, past president of the Sonora Electoral Institute, said it is absurd that a former minister must wait five years before running for public office.
