The Mexican “direct judge system,” which was implemented despite fierce opposition from the Mexican judiciary,

*Images not directly related to the content of the article. (Photo source = Pixabay)*

Mexico’s “direct judge system,” which was passed despite fierce opposition from the Mexican judiciary and concerns about its North American neighbors, is expected to be implemented thanks to the Mexican government’s strong will to implement it and the majority ruling party’s insistence on a quick vote.

On the 11th (local time), the Mexican Senate passed a bill to revise and abolish several provisions related to the judiciary with 86 approvals, which is more than the ⅔ of the registered legislators (128 people) by marching after discussions at night and voting in the early morning. Except for one who did not vote, 41 people were against and 0 abstained.

The judicial reform plan, which was first passed by the House of Representatives a week ago, is essentially left with only the promulgation process.

According to local daily Eluniversal, a majority (17 states) must vote before the revision can come into effect, but there are currently 24 states with a majority of ruling party alliances.

The main objective of the reform plan is to introduce a system whereby judges directly elect more than 7,000 judges (including Supreme Court judges) through a referendum.

It also included reducing the number of Supreme Court judges (11 → 9), shortening the Supreme Court term (15 → 12 years), forming only the en banc of the Supreme Court, abolishing the life pension of Supreme Court judges, and prohibiting judges from exceeding the presidential salary ceiling. It also included the basis for establishing a high-level disciplinary court for judges who made decisions that violated objectivity and fairness.

The alliance of the left-wing ruling party National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) began discussions right from the first day (1st) of parliament and approved the plan for the reform of the judiciary within 10 days.

Mexican judges and court staff protest outside the Mexican Senate in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, on 11 (local time) against the reform of the judiciary, including a direct system of judges. (Photo source = AFP Yonhap News)

The process was followed by controversy and labor. The judiciary union, which had been on strike for weeks against the reform plan because of the “politicization of judges,” blocked lawmakers from the ruling party, which had secured overwhelming seats in the House of Representatives in the June general election, along with law students. The ruling party held a debate and voting process in a Mexico City gymnasium from the 3rd to the 4th.

Protesters entered the parliament hall (2nd floor) and the meeting room (1st floor) before the Senate started deliberations. However, the ruling party, which had managed to secure an alternative meeting room after the recess, introduced a bill and voted on it.

In the Senate, there were 85 seats in the ruling party alliance. Even if they were all approved, they would still not get a single vote. However, local daily Reforma analyzed that the “change of mind” of a legislator played a decisive role.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has been more active than anyone in pushing for “judicial reform,” has completed the “last puzzle” before leaving office at the end of the month. President López Obrador has expressed deep dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court, which has put a brake on policies that require revision of the law as “unconstitutional” or “constitutional inconsistency.”

President López Obrador has expressed deep displeasure with the Supreme Court, which has put a brake on policies that require revision of the law due to “unconstitutionality” or “constitutional inconsistency.”

During a regular press conference on weekday mornings, he has frequently criticized the chief justice, saying, “Proposals made with humanitarian missions have been canceled by some members of the judiciary who protect the most powerful.” He also claimed that “the Supreme Court has been turned into an opposition trench.”

On the same day, President López Obrador said: “We will be an example to the world”, and his political successor, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, welcomed the Senate vote, saying it would “help strengthen the judiciary and prevent corruption”.

Neighboring countries have been critical of the direct election of Mexican judges. The United States and Canada, which have regional trade agreements with Mexico, have previously feared that the investment climate could deteriorate due to the loss of legislative and administrative controls on the direct system of judges.

On the 22nd of last month, Ken Salazar, the US ambassador to Mexico, said: “The direct election of Mexican judges makes it easier for drug cartels and criminals to appoint politically motivated judges.”

Outside the Mexican Senate, judges and judicial officials condemned the Senate and House of Representatives and indicated that they planned to continue the protest. For now, it is perceived that internal opposition will grow.