The Superior Chamber of the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Power of the Federation (TEPJF) confirmed the ruling against Beatriz Pagés Llergo Rebollar for disseminating images, symbols, and expressions of hate and discrimination against President Claudia Sheinbaum. The resolution was voted on by the majority, except for the dissenting vote of Judge Reyes Rodríguez Mondragón.
During the discussion, Judge Janine Otálora Malassis emphasized that the cover of Siempre! could not be protected under freedom of expression, highlighting that the elements on the cover provided an "unprotected anti-Semitic connotation." Otálora mentioned Claudia Sheinbaum's Jewish heritage and her family's history connected to the tragic experience in Nazi concentration camps, which, in her view, invalidated the defense of freedom of expression.
In response to the criticisms, Beatriz Pagés defended her stance, arguing that her intention was not to offend the Jewish community, but to alert about what she considered a potentially dangerous authoritarian regime. However, the magazine Siempre! continued to disparage Sheinbaum, calling her a "hyena in sheep's clothing" and making comparisons to Nazism.
The cover in question, published in December 2023, featured a silhouette of Claudia Sheinbaum with a band of Nazi swastikas and the message "Let’s not allow her to win." The Specialized Chamber deemed this comparison as a very harsh criticism not protected by freedom of expression, equating the Morena party and its candidate with the Nazi movement.
The Superior Chamber reaffirmed the fine imposed on Beatriz Pagés and Siempre!, arguing that the dissemination of inaccurate information could have influenced the citizenry when casting their votes during the electoral process. Pagés attempted to contest the sanction, but the challenge was dismissed, confirming the infraction for the issuance and dissemination of the controversial magazine cover.
