Mexico's electoral tribunal has ordered the Interior Ministry to sanction the Archdiocese of Mexico City for comments urging Catholics to not vote for political parties promoting liberalized abortion laws and same-sex marriage.

The Mexican bishops' conference and the Mexico City archdiocesan spokesman, Father Hugo Valdemar Romero — also named in the ruling — have questioned the legality of the order.

"According to the (tribunal) judges, a citizen's critical opinion of a political party for its immoral, criminal and destructive actions toward the family and its values is an attack against the democratic life of our country," Valdemar said at a July 3 press conference.

"Such a proposition is not only a judicial contradiction, but borders on the ridiculous."