INE Confirms PREP Security Amid Hacking Concerns

The National Electoral Institute (INE) has confirmed that the Preliminary Program of Electoral Results (PREP) is a trustworthy tool for the tallying and scrutiny of electoral ballots. This announcement was made during a press conference held by members of the General Council, including President Guadalupe Taddei, Jaime Rivera, Claudia Zavala, and the Technical Advisory Committee of the PREP (COTAPREP).

The conference was called to address concerns about the security of the PREP, following recent tests. In response to allegations that the PREP could be compromised for electoral fraud, Jaime Rivera assured that this was not possible. He explained that the program is purely informative and has no legal or binding effects, making it immune to manipulation.

COTAPREP members further emphasized the robustness of the PREP, stating that its processes are verified and cross-checked multiple times to prevent any form of hacking or manipulation. This rigorous approach minimizes the risk of any alteration to the information obtained from the scrutiny and counting records.

"The PREP is a vital instrument to ensure the transparency and legitimacy of the elections. It will play a crucial role in strengthening our democracy by providing certainty," stated Guadalupe Taddei, following the successful tests conducted on May 5.

In light of recent power outages caused by a heatwave and state of emergency conditions affecting the National Control Center for Energy (Cenace), the INE has prepared contingency plans. To mitigate the risk of power cuts impacting the PREP's functionality, they plan to hire auxiliary power plants.

Taddei also revealed that she is in discussions with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) to anticipate any potential issues. She expressed optimism that the anticipated arrival of a cold front will reduce the high demand for energy caused by the heatwave.