Jose Agustin Ortiz Pinchetti dies at 87

Mexico City. Considered a tireless defender of democracy, José Agustín Ortiz Pinchetti, head of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Electoral Crimes, former federal deputy and former advisor to the Federal Electoral Institute, died this Saturday in Mexico City at the age of 87.

Widely recognized for his contributions in various fields, the lawyer participated in various stages of the construction of the recent electoral system, notably as an organizer of the Chapultepec Castle seminars, from which the political reform of 1996 was outlined, which among other aspects gave constitutional autonomy to the then IFE.

Ortiz Pinchetti also worked as a writer, essayist, columnist, university professor, legislator, and contributor to The Day with his column Awakening in the Fourth Republic and more recently as a public servant.

He was born in the nation’s capital on May 13, 1937. From an early age he stood out for his interest in defending democracy, participating in the PRI’s democratizing movement in the late 1960s, and also defending causes against electoral fraud in Chihuahua in 1986.

His collaboration with various initiatives to protest the electoral fraud of 1988 was also significant; he later joined the IFE, in the first citizen council of the electoral referee, at the time when other well-known lawyers and political scientists participated.

And in line with his desire to build democracy, he promoted the strengthening of the IFE, although with the 1996 reform the general council of the body was renewed and he left this function.

After several years of returning to legal consulting, in 2000 he joined the team of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, then head of the capital’s government, as Secretary of Government, where he had a special interest in building bridges and consensus with members of all political forces, both local and national.

He worked hard to ensure that the then Federal District advanced in operational and legal autonomy.

Later, from 2003 to 2006, as a federal deputy, he promoted initiatives from the San Lázaro platform to advance the transformation of the Federal District into an entity with its own regulatory framework.

He also played a relevant role in the legal defense against the electoral fraud of 2006, when the Electoral Court gave Felipe Calderón Hinojosa the certificate for the six-year term that ended in 2012.

In the face of “fraud,” he was a pioneer in the resistance movement led by López Obrador, first with the construction of the ‘Legitimate Presidency’ and then towards a movement of national renewal.

Master in Economic Law from the Universidad Iberoamericana, he practiced his profession for more than 40 years.

He is the author of the books The Democracy to come y Private reflections and public testimonies.

In his last column published in this newspaper on July 28, he wrote: “With sincere humility, I must mention that I have had the fortune of observing and participating directly in the long struggle for the democratization of our country.” His full text can be read here.

His remains will be laid to rest starting this Sunday morning at the Gayosso funeral home in Félix Cuevas.

Express condolences

For his part, the national leader of the cherry party, Mario Delgado, stated on the same social network: “We will miss José Agustín Ortiz Pinchetti; a man of enlightenment and a great example of the fight for democracy in our country. Our condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace.”

The leader of the Morena faction in the Chamber of Deputies, Ignacio Mier, expressed the same tone: “José Agustín Ortiz Pinchetti, my very dear friend and teacher, has passed away before us; his departure leaves us with great sadness and a huge void. He was a true, humble and stoic democrat. Maestro Ortiz Pinchetti was a great Mexican, a great and good man. Rest in peace, dear Maestro.”

For her part, the head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, Rosa Icela Rodríguez – who will assume the Secretariat of the Interior in the government of Claudia Sheinbaum – stated: “It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of teacher José Agustín Ortiz Pinchetti. He was always on the side of just causes, a fighter for the democracy of our country. I embrace his dear wife, Minister Loretta Ortiz Ahlf, and his family and friends. Rest in peace.”

The Secretary of Urban Development and Housing of Mexico City, Inti Muñoz, posted on his social networks: “Farewell, dear José Agustín Ortiz Pinchetti, great promoter of our democracy, a man of firm principles. We were colleagues in the Chamber of Deputies; we fought together against the impeachment of Andrés Manuel López and the electoral fraud of 2006. The memory of his political ethics and his intelligence put at the service of the causes of the people will always remain. I hug his family and friends.”

Ministers, magistrates and opposition politicians join in

Later, ministers Lenia Batres and Yasmin Esquivel also expressed their condolences. The former posted a photo of herself with Ortiz Pinchetti and the message “I deeply regret the death of José Agustín Ortiz Pinchetti, a man of democratic convictions and just causes in Mexico. I send you my solidarity in your pain, dear Loretta Ortiz Ahlf. Good path.”

For his part, Esquivel said in X: “I regret the sensitive death of the distinguished official Don José Agustín Ortiz Pinchetti and I send my condolences to his dear wife, my esteemed colleague, Minister Loretta Ortiz Ahlf. A hug of solidarity to his family and loved ones.”

Felipe Fuentes Barrera, a judge of the Superior Chamber of the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Branch of the Federation, Ortiz Pinchetti, a man of ideals, integrity and determination. I express my solidarity to Minister Ortiz Ahlf, as well as to her family and friends in this difficult moment. May she rest in peace.”

The coordinator of the PRI bench in San Lázaro, Rubén Moreira, said: “I regret the death of Don José Agustín Ortiz Pinchetti, a great Mexican and eminent jurist. A hug to his wife, my dear teacher Loretta Ortiz Ahlf.”