Mexico’s Senate passed a significant constitutional amendment early Wednesday, which will lead to a major restructuring of the country’s judicial system. The amendment will require all judges to participate in elections, a move that has sparked concerns among critics who fear it could politicize the judiciary and undermine Mexico’s democracy.
The approval process was not without controversy, as protesters stormed the Senate on Tuesday, causing a temporary disruption to the session. The governing Morena party, backed by outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, had faced opposition but ultimately secured the necessary votes in both the lower chamber and the Senate.
Opposition parties, including the conservative National Action Party (PAN), initially opposed the amendment but faced challenges such as a lawmaker taking medical leave and eventually voting in favor of the proposal. The Senate voted twice, with both rounds resulting in an 86-41 tally, amid cheers and chants of victory.
The next step for the legislation is to be ratified by the legislatures of 17 out of Mexico’s 32 states. The ruling party is expected to garner enough support following recent electoral successes. Despite the protests and opposition, the Senate pushed through the amendment after reconvening in a different location.
The reforms have sparked protests by judicial employees and law students, with critics arguing that the amendment could jeopardize judicial independence and weaken the system of checks and balances. President López Obrador defends the changes as a means to combat corruption within the judiciary, but detractors believe it could be exploited to stack courts with biased judges and open the door for political interference.
US Ambassador Ken Salazar has even characterized the reform as a threat to democracy and the economy. The controversial amendment has raised concerns both domestically and internationally, emphasizing the challenges and divisions the judicial overhaul has brought to Mexico.
