Mony de Swaan, former president of the Federal Telecommunications Commission (Cofetel), expressed his concern about what he sees as a monumental setback in Mexico with the disappearance of the Federal Institute of Telecommunications (IFT).
In an interview, De Swaan pointed out that the elimination of the IFT and six other autonomous bodies was unnecessary and described the measure as a significant step backward. He argued that he found no solid argument in the ruling that seeks to eliminate these bodies, which he considers a serious mistake.
He emphasized that the solution to strengthen the IFT was simply the appointment of commissioners that have been vacant for years, rather than its abolition. Additionally, he mentioned that the creation of the IFT originally stemmed from a political consensus to improve the distribution of concessions in the telecommunications sector.
De Swaan expressed his distrust that the ruling could be modified, citing recent examples such as the judicial reform and the election process of Rosario Piedra at the head of the National Human Rights Commission. He believes that the current landscape reflects a sad and worrying institutional destruction in Mexico.
In Mony de Swaan's opinion, the disappearance of the IFT and other autonomous bodies represents a setback in the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law in the country.
