218.1. The General Council will organize two mandatory debates between all candidates for the Presidency of the Republic and will promote, through the local and district councils, the organization of debates between candidates for senators and federal representatives.

218.2. For the development of the mandatory debates, the General Council will define the rules, dates and locations, respecting the principle of equality between the candidates.

218.3. The mandatory debates between the candidates for the office of the President of the United Mexican States will be transmitted by the radio stations and television channels of the public broadcasters. The commercial broadcasters should transmit said debates in at least one of their broadcasting signals when they have coverage in fifty percent or more of the national territory. The radio and television signals that the Institute generates for this purpose can be used, live and for free, by the other radio and television broadcasters, as well as by other telecommunication broadcasters. The Institute will take the necessary steps in order to promote the transmission of the debate in the largest possible number of stations and channels.

218.4. In the terms established by the laws of the states, the general councils of the Local Public Bodies will organize debates between all the candidates for Governor or Chief of Government of the Federal District. Also, they will promote the organization of debates between candidates for local representatives, municipal presidents, Borough Heads and other elective offices, and therefore the broadcasting signals that the Local Public Bodies generate can be used for this purpose, live and without cost, by the other radio and television broadcasters, as well as by the other telecommunication broadcasters.

218.5. In the assumption of the previous paragraph, the debates of the candidates Governor or Chief of Government of the Federal District should be transmitted by the radio stations and television channels of the local public broadcasters in the state in question. The Institute will promote the transmission of the debate by other broadcasting and telecommunications broadcasters with coverage in the corresponding state.

218.6. The national and local media can freely organize debates between candidates, provided that they comply with the following:

a) It is communicated to the Institute or to the local institutes, as applies;

b) At least two candidates from the same election participate, and

c) Equal conditions are established in the format.

218.7. The transmission of the debates by the media will be free of cost and will be carried out in a comprehensive way and without changing the content. The failure to participate by one or more of the candidates invited to these debates is not cause for the cancellation of the same.