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In 2005, González Torres publicly expressed his interest in being a presidential candidate. He stated that all of the traditional political parties were corrupt and that only he, as an independent citizen committed to the less-fortunate, could fight it. To justify his claims, he referenced surveys in
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Gonzáles Torres also demanded to be included in a televised debate with the five major presidential candidates. On the day of the debate, he went to the "Polyforum
Cultural Siguierons", a building adjacent to the debate's venue, where he set up screens with political ideas from the other candidates,
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in
Spanish), which can be sold at a lower price than name-brand drugs. In order to sell a generic drug to the public, Farmacias Similares has to cite a bioavailability study that accredits the generic drug as interchangeable for its name-brand counterpart. Notably, these bioavailability studies are
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Victor González Torres comes from a family with a history in politics and business: one of his brothers, Javier Gonzáles Torres, is the owner of
Farmacias Fénix, Farmacias de Genéricos, and the IGFA Laboratories. His other brother, Jorge Gonzáles Torres, was the founder and first president of the
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Gonzáles Torres has responded that, if generic drugs did not work, people would not use them. He generally claims to defend the rights of the less-fortunate with his cheaper products. He has publicized his goals by assuming the personality that represents his pharmacies, Dr. Simi.
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Critics generally claim that generic medicines sold by
Farmacias Similares cannot be considered as equivalents to those with recognized brand names, despite the Mexican law that requires bioavailability studies. Similarly, Farmacias Similares' slogan
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He initially intended to be registered as an independent candidate. Mexican electoral law at the time did not recognize independent candidature until González, together with the former secretary of foreign affairs during the government of
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381:. Since he considered Obrador a radical and populist, he also financed, in violation of electoral law, television spots and paid notes in magazines and newspapers that slandered López Obrador.
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as their candidate. He then presented his registration with the
Federal Electoral Institute (IFE, from its initials in Spanish) while instituting a media attack against Mercado,
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Farmacias
Similares has more than 6,000 branches in Mexico and Central and South America. The chain is estimated to control a quarter of the Mexican pharmaceutical industry.
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The IFE ultimately did not recognize votes for González Torres, considering that he did not meet the eligibility requirements established by the constitution.
327:, who also intended to register as independent candidates, appealed to the Mexican supreme court, which ultimately approved of independent candidacies.
286:" ("The Same, but Cheaper") has faced criticism and even lawsuits from pharmaceutical companies, but to date none of these lawsuits have come to trial.
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357:, calling for his supporters to vote for him in the blank space on ballots and pushed the IFE to count such votes. During his campaigns, he met with
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which he had support of nearly 80% of the voting populations, although none of those surveys were conducted by a polling station registered with the
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Víctor González Torres first gained notoriety as the owner of the
Farmacias Similares chain. Farmacias Similares sells generic medications (called
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Despite the
Federal Electoral Tribunal's rejection of his candidacy, González Torres continued his campaign, declaring himself a
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only done at the first shipment of the generic, so critics note that the ongoing quality of such generics cannot be guaranteed.
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His older brother is named
Roberto González Torres and lives in Texas. He has three sisters: Margarita, Virginia, and María.
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Gonzáles Torres is also the founder and director of an associated charitable body, The Group for a Better
Country (
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551:"México.- Presenta su candidatura para las presidenciales el empresario mejicano Víctor González"
475:"Mexican Fans Are Throwing Dr. Simi Plushies to Singers – Here's How Social Media Is Reacting"
334:, supported by the working-class sector of that party; however, that party had already chosen
526:"Mexico promised healthcare for all. Its failure to deliver made this smiling mascot famous"
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Many media outlets covered his campaign and his struggle with the
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420:"Farmacias Similares: quién es su dueño y cuántas empresas tiene"
574:"Cuando el Dr. Simi aspiró a ser presidente de México y fracasó"
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from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially
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So, González Torres sought to be the candidate for the
446:"Víctor González Torres, the 'Dr. Simi 'in esmas.com"
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and debated those ideas when Partica Mercado spoke.
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502:. Universidad Iberoamericana. May 18, 2000
355:Unregistered Independent Peoples Candidate
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58:about living persons that is unsourced or
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231:'Partido Verde Ecologista de México', or
129:Learn how and when to remove this message
473:Hernandez, Jeanette (August 15, 2022).
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239:, is a Jesuit priest and rector at the
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426:(in Mexican Spanish). March 31, 2023
367:Partido Revolucionario Institucional
572:Ramírez, Selene (August 18, 2022).
258:A branch of Farmacias Similares in
16:Mexican businessman and politician
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306:Candidate for President of Mexico
553:. Europa Press. January 15, 2006
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524:Miller, Leila (March 1, 2023).
233:Ecologist Green Party of Mexico
379:Coalición Por el Bien de Todos
203:Jorge Emilio González Martínez
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145:Victor Manuel González Torres
36:biography of a living person
393:Federal Electoral Institute
375:Andrés Manuel López Obrador
313:Instituto Federal Electoral
63:must be removed immediately
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348:Federal Electoral Tribunal
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241:Universidad Iberoamericana
180:Universidad Iberoamericana
283:Lo Mismo, Pero Más Barato
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363:Felipe Calderón Hinojosa
226:Personal life and family
78:"Víctor González Torres"
371:Partido Acción Nacional
299:Grupo Por Un País Mejor
250:Pharmaceutical business
237:Enrique Gonzáles Torres
214:(born July 1, 1947, in
189:Businessman, politician
611:Mexican businesspeople
365:, candidates from the
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212:Víctor González Torres
50:Please help by adding
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198:Jorge González Torres
344:Joaquín López-Dóriga
340:Alberto Begné Guerra
56:Contentious material
272:farmacias similares
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582:. Retrieved
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454:. March 2006
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616:1947 births
578:ADNPolítico
506:January 20,
484:November 1,
321:Vicente Fox
220:Doctor Simi
216:Mexico City
200:(brother),
168:Mexico City
600:Categories
584:October 5,
557:October 5,
458:January 1,
399:References
157:1947-06-01
89:newspapers
535:April 22,
500:"NotiUIA"
430:April 22,
194:Relatives
176:Education
41:citations
479:Remezcla
260:Mazatlán
205:(nephew)
170:, Mexico
67:libelous
264:Sinaloa
103:scholar
451:Es Mas
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110:JSTOR
96:books
34:This
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508:2013
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460:2011
432:2023
369:and
361:and
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82:news
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