During the recent electoral process in the state of Querétaro, the President of the PAN, Martín Arango, admitted that his party made oversights by using images of minors in political campaigns, which resulted in fines for violating the rights of children. Arango acknowledged that they did not timely inform candidates about the rules for the protection of minors, a mistake he claims will not be repeated in the future.
"Previously, it was sufficient for us as a party to timely notify the existing rules on the matter; I believe this is something that will not happen again, it is something in which we have experience and that we will not allow to occur once more," said Arango. Despite the oversights, he assured that the unauthorized use of images of minors only occurred on social media and that these were the gravest offenses committed by the PAN members.
According to Article 104 of the Electoral Law of the State of Querétaro, the use of images or data of minors in electoral propaganda needs to have written consent from parents or guardians. The Electoral Institute of the State of Querétaro recently highlighted that the use of images of children and adolescents without parental authorization was the most reported act during the last electoral period.
Although the electoral body has not notified the party about the total number of infractions committed, Arango emphasized that they have not been sanctioned for other more serious offenses such as vote buying or misleading advertising. The PAN in Querétaro is committed to ensuring in the future the respect for the dignity and rights of minors during any party activity.
