In a move that could have impacts far beyond its borders, Mexico’s Senate voted on Wednesday, Sept. 11, in favor of overhauling the country’s judiciary, an effort led by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The approval clears the way for the contentious constitutional revision that forces all judges, including supreme court judges, to run for election. The legislation must now be ratified by the legislatures in at least 17 of the country’s 32 states.
López Obrador, who has ignored courts in the past, said that the plan cracks down on corruption by making it easier to punish judges.
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President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, a López Obrador protégé, endorsed the overhaul, claiming it “will strengthen the delivery of justice in this country.”
However, critics fear it will do the opposite, threatening Mexico’s democracy and international relations.
Experts note that the reform could allow criminals to influence or politicians to sway judges’ opinions. U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar called the reform a “risk” to democracy and economic threat.
The changes have also scared investors, who have threatened to pull out of Mexico on the grounds the move violates the U.S-Mexico-Canada Agreement. They claim politicizing the court would jeopardize resolving international trade disputes, arguing that the reforms would “dismantle” the country’s “antitrust agency” and other protections.
Hundreds of protesters joined by opposition senators stormed the Senate chamber on Tuesday, Sept. 10, calling on lawmakers to strike down the proposal.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS STORMED MEXICO’S SENATE CHAMBERS, PLEADING WITH MEXICAN LAWMAKERS TO STOP A CONTROVERSIAL JUDICIAL REFORM PLAN LED BY PRESIDENT ANDRES MAUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR. IN SPITE OF CALLS FROM CITIZENS AND INTERNATIONAL LEADERS, MEXICO’S SENATE VOTED WEDNESDAY TO OVERHAUL THE COUNTRY’S JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THE APPROVAL CLEARS THE WAY FOR A CONTROVERSIAL CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION FORCING ALL JUDGES, INCLUDING THOSE ON THE SUPREME COURT, TO RUN FOR ELECTION.
THE LEGISLATION MUST NOW BE RATIFIED BY THE LEGISLATURES IN AT LEAST 17 OF THE COUNTRY’S 32 STATES.
LOPEZ OBRADOR, WHO HAS IGNORED COURTS IN THE PAST, SAYS THE PLAN CRACKS DOWN ON CORRUPTION BY MAKING IT EASIER TO PUNISH JUDGES.
PRESIDENT-ELECT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, A LOPEZ OBRADOR PROTEGE, ENDORSED THE OVERHAUL– CLAIMING IT “WILL STRENGTHEN THE DELIVERY OF JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY.”
CRITICS FEAR IT WILL DO THE OPPOSITE– THREATENING MEXICO’S DEMOCRACY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
SCHOLARS ON TRADE POLICY NOTE THE REFORM COULD ALLOW CRIMINALS TO INFLUENCE OR POLITICIANS TO SWAY THE JUDGES OPINIONS.
U-S AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO KEN SALZAR CALLED IT A “RISK” TO DEMOCRACY AND AN ECONOMIC THREAT.
AND THE CHANGE SCARED INVESTORS, WHO HAVE THREATENED TO PULL OUT OF MEXICO– ON THE GROUNDS IT VIOLATES THE U-S-MEXICO-CANADA AGREEMENT.
THEY CLAIM POLITICIZING THE COURT WOULD JEOPARDIZE RESOLVING INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISPUTES.
ADDING, THE CHANGES WOULD “DISMANTLE” THE COUNTRY’S “ANTITRUST AGENCY AND OTHER PROTECTIONS.
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