Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has championed a judicial reform package that would see federal judges elected by popular vote. The reform has been approved by a majority of state legislatures and is set to be enacted on September 15. This move comes just days before Lopez Obrador leaves office at the end of the month. The reform had previously passed in the lower chamber of Mexico’s legislature and recently gained approval in the Senate as well.
The announcement of the reform’s enactment came after the bill was approved by 18 of the country’s 32 state legislatures. Lopez Obrador expressed his hope for the law to be published in the government’s official gazette on September 15, one day before Mexico celebrates its Independence Day. Lopez Obrador’s Morena party has a supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies and is one seat shy of a supermajority in the Senate, indicating strong support for the reform among lawmakers.
However, opponents of the bill have been protesting against the overhaul for weeks. Thousands of federal judges, magistrates, and court workers have been vocal in their opposition, fearing that the move will erode the judiciary’s independence. Critics have labeled the changes as part of a broader shift towards “autocracy” and argue that the reform will give the Morena party disproportionate influence over the election of judges. Protesters have stormed the Senate chamber and chanted slogans against the reform during the Senate debate.
Despite the protests, Lopez Obrador remains steadfast in his belief that the reforms are necessary to establish an “authentic democracy” in Mexico and to combat the influence of criminal organizations. The president has defended the reform as a way to allow Mexican citizens to directly elect all three branches of government: the executive, legislative, and judicial. The International Bar Association, Human Rights Watch, and Mexico’s top trading partners have expressed concerns over the reform, with legal experts criticizing it for not addressing the root causes of corruption in the criminal justice system.
Mexico is set to become the world’s first country to allow voters to elect federal judges at all levels, including the Supreme Court. The reform represents a significant step towards greater democratic participation in the country’s political processes. Supporters of the reform argue that it will lead to a more transparent and accountable judiciary, while critics fear that it will compromise judicial independence and provide unnecessary power to the ruling party. The implementation of the reform on September 15 will mark a new chapter in Mexico’s legal system and political landscape.
