Politics · Mexico · 1 day ago
Videos allege kickbacks tied to INE food-service contract
Videos presented by journalist Carlos Loret de Mola allege kickbacks linked to food services at Mexico’s National Electoral Institute, known as the INE.
The footage was recorded by contractor José Alfredo Hernández Casillas during conversations with former INE president Guadalupe Taddei.
Hernández Casillas said a company paid 1.5 million pesos a month to operate the institute’s dining rooms and gave 15 percent, according to the video.
The allegation concerns a contract signed in April 2025 by the INE and Productos Serel to run nine dining rooms in Mexico City and Pachuca, with a maximum value of 112 million pesos.
The alleged 15 percent would amount to nearly 17 million pesos of the contract, according to the investigation; no finding of wrongdoing is established in the material provided.
Productos Serel is a sister company of La Cosmopolitana, both part of Grupo Cosmos, which is owned by businessman Jack Landsmanas.
The INE has filed a complaint with federal prosecutors to investigate irregularities from Taddei’s time in office, and its complaint leaves open inquiries into other administrations.
A report presented new videos alleging monthly kickbacks linked to the contract to operate food services at Mexico’s National Electoral Institute.
In a video recorded in February, contractor José Alfredo Hernández Casillas tells Guadalupe Taddei that La Cosmopolitana pays 1.5 million pesos a month and gives 15%.
The report links the 15% figure to a 2025 contract awarded to Productos Serel for nine INE dining halls.
The contract had a maximum value of 112 million pesos, and the report says 15% amounts to nearly 17 million pesos.
The INE said it had filed a complaint with Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office to investigate irregularities.
- Who
- Contractor José Alfredo Hernández Casillas and former INE president Guadalupe Taddei appear in the video. The report also names La Cosmopolitana and Productos Serel.
- What
- Videos allege kickbacks tied to a contract for operating INE dining halls.
- When
- The video was recorded in February; the contract was signed in April 2025. The report was published on November 7, 2026.
- Where
- The contract covered nine INE dining halls in Mexico City and Pachuca.
- Why
- The report says the alleged payments were linked to the food-service contract and that Hernández Casillas asked Taddei to renegotiate the next contract.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The INE signed a contract with Productos Serel to operate nine dining halls.
Hernández Casillas recorded a video conversation with Taddei about alleged payments.
Carlos Loret de Mola presented the new videos on his LatinUs program.
The INE said it had formalized a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.
- Contract operator
- Productos Serel
- Dining halls
- Nine, in Mexico City and Pachuca
- Maximum contract value
- 112 million pesos
- Alleged monthly payment
- 1.5 million pesos
- Reported share
- 15%, nearly 17 million pesos of the contract
- Related companies
- Productos Serel and La Cosmopolitana are described as sister companies in Grupo Cosmos
What people are saying
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