Mexico's main opposition party, National Action Party (PAN), is facing an internal crisis. A fierce power struggle between the party's national leadership and influential local leaders, known as 'padroneros' (party registrars), threatens the party's unity ahead of the 2027 elections. These leaders, including Querétaro Governor Mauricio Kuri and party president Jorge Romero, were themselves backed by the padroneros in the past but are now criticizing their influence. Romero, who led a party re-affiliation campaign, has faced resistance from the very same groups that helped him rise to power. According to INE data, the campaign added an average of 1,150 new members per month, while the ruling MORENA party boasts 11 million members. Intra-party divisions deepened after Governor Kuri publicly expressed support for President Claudia Sheinbaum, causing outrage in PAN ranks, especially following an incident with Minister Norma Piña. This move was seen as a betrayal, but Kuri insists on the need for 'less confrontation and more dialogue'.
