Mexico City, June 29 (RHC)-- Over 20,000 ballots have been stolen since Monday in three different southern states ahead of Mexico’s general elections this Sunday.  Eleven thousand ballots for national and local authorities were stolen in the state of Tabasco on Monday. 

While in the state of Veracruz, two armed men stole 1,683 ballots on Wednesday.  Josue Cervantes, a representative of Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE), said of the stolen ballots 561 were for president, 561 for Senate, and the other 561 for representatives.  

On Thursday, 8,204 ballots were stolen and burned in the state of Oaxaca.  According to the INE, all these ballots were for local authorities.  

Local electoral authorities have requested new ballots to guarantee everyone’s right to vote. 

Earlier this week, electoral authorities assured there was no risk of fraud citing new unforgeable IDs, millions of volunteers who will be in charge of counting the votes nationwide, and over 35,000 national and international observers for the July 1st elections.  

Mexico will hold its largest national elections this Sunday when the people will choose the president, 500 representatives to Congress, 128 senators, nine governors and around 2,700 local authorities in 30 of its 32 states. 

Many fear stolen ballots could be part of a broader strategy of electoral fraud.  However, Mexico’s electoral authority insists there will be no fraud on Sunday.  

Violence against candidates from various parties has marked this electoral process, over 130 candidates have been killed since campaigning started in November 2017.