On the morning of October 17, 2025, Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, stood before the press at Palacio Nacional with a message that sent ripples through the political landscape: she was throwing her full support behind the creation of a new commission within Morena, her party, to scrutinize the backgrounds of those seeking candidacy for public office. The move comes as the party faces renewed controversy surrounding José María Tapia, the former director of the National Disaster Fund (Fonden) and a recent Morena candidate, whose career has been peppered with questions and high-profile contracts.
“Morena did well in forming this commission, so that it doesn’t depend on just one person or a small group to invite someone from another party to be a candidate,” Sheinbaum stated during her morning conference, as quoted by El Universal. “Instead, a commission should review the candidate’s history and make a decision.”
The president’s remarks followed a week of political turbulence. José María Tapia, who once led Fonden during the administration of former president Enrique Peña Nieto, has been eyeing Morena’s candidacy for governor of Querétaro. His ambitions have reignited scrutiny over his past, including a 2020 contract worth 1,350 million pesos awarded by the Secretariat of National Defense for ventilators, and the acquisition of an apartment valued at $6.5 million USD—about 100 million pesos, as revealed by an investigation from Mexicanos Contra la Corrupción y la Impunidad (MCCI).
The controversy deepened when the Partido Verde (Green Party) publicly distanced itself from Tapia. In response to comments by Morena’s national leader, Luisa María Alcalde, the Green Party clarified, “The ex-director of Fonden, José María Tapia, does not belong to the Partido Verde. While he was a candidate of the coalition for the municipal presidency of Querétaro in 2024, he is not a member of our party.” This statement, reported by Milenio, highlighted the complexities of coalition politics and the sometimes-blurry lines between party affiliations.
Sheinbaum herself had appeared in a 2024 campaign video endorsing Tapia for Querétaro’s municipal presidency, urging voters, “There’s very little time left before the election, and you know, our candidate in Querétaro, in the city of Querétaro, is Chema Tapia. This June 2, don’t forget to vote for Chema.” The endorsement, now under renewed scrutiny, underscores the evolving standards for candidate vetting within Morena.
During her October 17 press conference, Sheinbaum was careful to delineate her role. While she declined to comment directly on whether Morena should implement stricter filters for new members, she made it clear that she supports the leadership’s decision to establish a more rigorous review process. “It’s not my place to decide on the selection process for party affiliations,” she said, “but I can say that the current leadership’s decision is a positive step.”
The formation of the Commission Evaluadora de Incorporaciones was formalized on September 17, 2025, with the explicit goal of ensuring that candidacies are no longer the result of decisions by a single leader, secretary general, or even just the executive committee. Instead, the commission is tasked with thoroughly analyzing the background of each aspirant—especially those coming from outside the party or from coalition partners.
“I think Morena did well in forming this commission, so that it doesn’t depend on just one person or a small group,” Sheinbaum reiterated, according to La Jornada. “The commission should review the candidate’s history and make the decision. I believe this is what they did in their council today, and it seems right to me.”
The renewed focus on candidate vetting comes at a time when Morena is under pressure to maintain its image as a party of integrity and transparency. The case of Tapia, who was at the helm of Fonden during a period now under investigation for alleged corruption, has become a lightning rod for critics. Sheinbaum announced that she would present a report next week detailing irregularities found in Fonden, including questionable emergency declarations for heat waves—a move seen as a direct response to the growing demand for accountability.
“It seems to me that the current leadership of Morena has made the right decision regarding people who have joined, which perhaps should have been reviewed in more detail,” Sheinbaum said, as reported by El Financiero. “Now it won’t just be the decision of the president, the secretary general, or the executive committee, but a commission that analyzes who can be a candidate for Morena or its coalitions.”
Political observers say the creation of the commission marks a pivotal shift in how Morena approaches internal democracy and candidate selection. In the past, decisions about who would represent the party often rested with a handful of leaders, leading to accusations of favoritism and a lack of transparency. The new commission, in theory, will ensure that all candidates—especially those with histories in other parties or public controversies—face a standardized and thorough review.
The commission’s establishment also reflects broader trends in Mexican politics, where coalition-building has become the norm and party loyalty is increasingly fluid. Tapia’s case is emblematic: despite his previous roles under the PRI administration and his recent candidacy within a coalition, his actual party affiliation remains a matter of debate. The Green Party’s statement distancing itself from Tapia underscores the challenges parties face in maintaining clear boundaries while seeking electoral advantage through alliances.
Sheinbaum’s approach, balancing support for institutional reforms with deference to party autonomy, is being closely watched. By publicly backing the commission but refusing to wade into the specifics of Tapia’s candidacy, she has signaled a desire to strengthen Morena’s processes without overstepping her executive role. This stance, some analysts suggest, could help the party weather future controversies by shifting responsibility for candidate vetting to a collective body rather than individual leaders.
As for Tapia, the renewed scrutiny of his record—both as a public official and as a candidate—may serve as a test case for the commission’s effectiveness. With Sheinbaum set to release a report on Fonden’s irregularities in the coming week, the political stakes are high. Will the commission’s work restore public confidence in Morena’s candidate selection? Or will lingering questions about past affiliations and financial dealings continue to haunt the party?
One thing is clear: the era of backroom deals and unvetted candidacies appears to be drawing to a close for Morena. With a new commission in place and the president’s public endorsement, the party is betting that greater transparency and collective oversight will help it navigate the turbulent waters of Mexican politics—at least for now.
