In an alarming judgment that has brought free speech in Mexico under scrutiny, Rodrigo Iván Cortés, a renowned pro-family advocate and former congressman, has been found guilty of multiple charges, including “gender-based political violence.” The punishment? A fine, forced apology, mandatory “gender violence” training, and perhaps most concerning, enrollment in a “sanctions registry.”
The supreme court of electoral affairs in Mexico ratified a lower court’s verdict, convicting Cortés for crimes like “digital violence,” and “psychological violence.” These charges stem from his reference to member of congress Salma Luévano, a transgender woman, as a “man who self-ascribes as a woman.”
Mexico’s high court has slapped Cortés with a 19,244 Mexican pesos fine (USD 1,129), and commanded him to publicly apologize and share the court ruling on social media for a month. Cortés must now enroll in a registry that tracks sanctions against women.
Cortés, head of Frente Nacional por la Familia (FNF), lamented his conviction by voicing concerns about the erosion of democratic values and suppression of free speech in Mexico. Asserting his commitment to protecting the universal right to free speech and expressing truth, he vowed to fight for justice and resist the misuse of laws to silence individuals for their legitimate beliefs.
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