Prosecutors search INE offices over supply contracts
Original reporting: Jornada Baja California
What happened
Electoral and organized crime prosecutors searched the INE’s materials offices amid investigations into alleged procurement irregularities, Jornada Baja California reported.
Reporting and context
Federal prosecutors searched the National Electoral Institute’s materials and services offices as part of inquiries into alleged irregularities in electoral supply contracts, according to Jornada Baja California, citing sources within the institute.
Agents from the electoral crimes prosecutor’s office and the organized crime prosecutor’s office carried out the search Wednesday morning at the Torre Zafiro offices in Mexico City’s Jardines del Pedregal neighborhood. The report described it as apparently the first such search in the investigations arising from several complaints, including one filed by INE councilors.
Jornada Baja California reported that Mario Alfonso Burciaga Esparza headed the materials and services department until October 27. He is among former officials shown dining with electoral materials supplier José Alfredo Hernández Casillas. Separately, an audio recording circulating on social media purportedly captures the supplier giving instructions about when to announce the award of a voter identification card production contract worth more than 1.1 billion pesos for 2026–2031.
The department belongs to the INE’s Executive Directorate of Administration, which oversees tenders and contract awards. Jesús García González was appointed acting director in September 2025 by then-INE head Guadalupe Taddei, despite previously having served as a representative or legal representative of supply companies linked to Hernández Casillas, the newspaper reported.
The federal audit office, the INE’s internal oversight body and federal prosecutors are examining complaints of administrative irregularities and possible crimes. The criminal inquiry includes whether abuse of office, unlawful exercise of authority, influence peddling, bribery or embezzlement occurred. The article reports an investigation, without identifying charges filed against the named former officials.
Original publication: https://jornadabc.com.mx/02_secundarias/fgr-ejecuta-el-primer-cateo-en-el-ine-en-trama-de-pesquisas-por-taddei