The 27 Independent Candidates for the Presidency of Mexico

Beyond the two candidates from the strongest blocks, there were 27 independent candidates for the presidency of Mexico.

However, only six out of the 27 independent candidates for the presidency of Mexico fulfilled the required documentation.

In this regard, the National Electoral Institute (INE) reported that 27 individuals expressed their intention to become independent candidates and compete for the 2024 Presidency.

On the afternoon of Friday, September 7th, the electoral body reminded that the deadline was approaching for citizens interested in running as independent candidates.

In that sense, the list of the 25 men and the two women who came to submit their documentation was made public.

Of the total, six have already received their certificates, granting them the status of independent candidate aspirants, while the remaining 21 have 48 hours to rectify the missing documentation.

Afterward, the INE will determine whether they meet the requirements to participate or not.

According to the INE, the six individuals who have already been approved must gather support through means other than radio and television to collect the required signatures and continue in the process.

They can begin this process on Saturday, September 9th, and continue until January 6, 2024.

This is in order to obtain the support of a number of citizens equivalent to at least 1% of the Nominal Voter List and belonging to a minimum of 17 federal entities.

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Among the approved aspirants are:

Ulises Ernesto Ruíz Ortiz, a 65-year-old Mexican politician and lawyer. He was a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) until 2021 when he was expelled due to criticism of the national leadership of the party.

 He served as the governor of Oaxaca from 2004 to 2010 and has held positions as a local deputy in the LV Legislature of the Oaxaca Congress, a federal deputy in the LVII Legislature, and a senator in two terms.

César Enrique Asiain del Castillo, an expert in economics from Mexico City with studies from the Universidad Iberoamericana.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he is the Executive President of the consultancy firm Asiain Consultant, with over 30 years of experience in applied economics, public policy, business model development, among other areas.

Hugo Eric Flores Cervantes, a politician, academic, and lawyer known for founding and presiding over the now-defunct political parties Social Encounter (PES) and Solidarity Encounter.

He was one of the 27 independent candidates for the presidency and is 53 years old. He currently serves as the federal delegate for the programs of the Ministry of Welfare in Morelos, governed by Cuauhtémoc Blanco.

Flores is a lawyer from the Faculty of Law at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and holds a master’s degree and doctoral studies in Juridical Sciences from Harvard University, which has allowed him to work in various national and international law firms.

It’s worth noting that in 2021, he faced criticism because his party (PES) began airing advertisements opposing same-sex adoption and abortion.

José Eduardo Verástegui Córdoba, an actor, producer, former singer, and well-known conservative activist.

Originally from Tamaulipas, he recently gained attention for the release of his movie “Sound of Freedom,” which addresses child trafficking.

He is the only independent candidate aspirant that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has commented on.

The other two individuals who have received their certificates are Rocío Gabriela González Castañeda and María Ofelia Edgar Mares.

The other 21 aspirants out of the 27 independent candidates for the presidency of Mexico are:

• Francisco Gerardo Becerra Ávalos.
• Fortino Rangel Amézquita, an aspirant for the gubernatorial candidacy of Michoacán 2020-2021.
• Francisco Javier Becerril López, an aspirant for the Presidency in 2018.
• Carlos Baldemar Olivas Corral.
• Salomón López López.
• Simón Pérez Torres.
• Antonio Correa González.
• Renato Emilio Sánchez Carmona.
• Ramiro Díaz Hernández.
• Fernando Mauricio Jiménez Chávez.
• Porfirio Moreno Jiménez, a gubernatorial candidacy aspirant for Hidalgo three times.
• Jorge Basurto Vargas.
• Emilio Cosgaya Rodríguez.
• Carlos Castillo Cabrera.
• Manuel Antonio Romo Aguirre, who sought the registration of the Independent Citizen Party (PCI).
• Gustavo González Valdez, a retired colonel from Coahuila.
• Gustavo Adolfo Alcántara González.
• Pablo Fuentes Soto.
• Leodegario Pozos Vergara, originally from Puebla, known as “El Tigre de la Sierra,” who also sought to be an independent candidate in Puebla.
• Ignacio Benavente Torres.
• Melchor Ortega Espinar.