Mexico's electoral tribunal confirms PVEM fine for calling Ortega a "delinquent"

The Tribunal Electoral del Poder Judicial de la Federación (TEPJ), Mexico's highest electoral court, confirmed the fine levied by the IFE a month back on the PVEM or Mexican Green party, after Senator Jorge Legorreta, PVEM leader in Mexico City, hurled accusations that the PRD and its leader Jesús Ortega were tied to organized crime.

While the right to free speech in a democracy must be paramount, this was far beyond a mere slip of the tongue; the PVEM had repeated these claims in communiques sent out to TV and radio stations, and promoted them on Web sites. Smears at times have consequences, and at times this may be a very good thing.