In September 2022, Rodrigo Ivan Cortes, the president of the National Front for the Family faced a lawsuit filed by a Mexican MP who had presented a pro-LGBTI legislative proposal while dressed as a Catholic bishop.
Newsroom (May 19, 2023, 09:41, Gaudium Press): Rodrigo Ivan Cortes, the president of the National Front for the Family, is a prominent figure in Mexico who rallies people around the pro-life cause. Due to his active involvement in advocacy, he naturally attracts attention from opponents of this cause.
In September 2022, Cortes faced a lawsuit filed by a Mexican MP who had presented a pro-LGBTI legislative proposal while dressed as a Catholic bishop. Interestingly, this action did not appear to offend the religious sentiments of the majority of the population in Mexico, as no consequences followed.
At the time, Rodrigo Cortés denounced the legislative proposal of the MP, stating that it gravely violated the rights of freedom of religion and expression by allowing for the penalization of the dissemination of Christian teachings, deeming it “hate speech.
However, the MP counter-sued Cortes, alleging that some of his Twitter and Facebook posts violated the deputy’s right to be “recognized as a woman” and constituted a “denial of identity,” as Cortes referred to the him as a man and used masculine pronouns when referring to them.
In February of this year, the Specialized Regional Chamber of the Electoral Court of the Federal Judiciary of Mexico ruled that these posts did indeed amount to digital, symbolic, psychological, and sexual violence against the MP. As a result, the court ordered Cortes and his association to pay a fine and publish an excerpt of the ruling on social media.
Cortes appealed the sentence, and now the highest electoral court in the country, the Superior Chamber of the Electoral Court of the Federal Judiciary, is reviewing the case.
Together with jurists from the Alliance Defending Freedom International, Cortes decided to file a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in defense of the right to freedom of expression. This action is aimed at preparing the grounds for a potential appeal against a verdict that may go against him, thus confirming the decision made in the first instance.
Compiled by Kate Iwuc with files from Nuova Bussola Quotidiana
