Protesters disrupted Mexico's Senate on Tuesday, forcing lawmakers to pause a debate on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s judicial reform proposal.
This controversial plan aims to let voters elect judges, making Mexico the only country where all judges are chosen by popular vote. The proposal has triggered widespread protests and diplomatic concerns and shaken investor confidence.
The protestors stormed the Senate, chanting, "The judiciary will not fall. " They pushed lawmakers to relocate to a former Senate building to resume their debate.
Demonstrators criticized Lopez Obrador, accusing him of threatening democracy. He argues that the current judicial system is corrupt and serves only the elite and says his reform would combat nepotism.
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Opponents, including court employees and law students, have organized protests, fearing the reforms would undermine judicial independence. The plan proposes that about 1,600 judges, including Supreme Court judges, would stand for election by 2025 or 2027.
UN rapporteur Margaret Satterthwaite highlighted that while some countries elect state judges, no nation elects all its judges. Supreme Court Chief Justice Norma Pina also warned that elected judges could face more pressure from organized crime, a significant concern in Mexico.
The reforms passed the lower house, but more support was needed in the Senate to amend the constitution. Critics, including the US, have expressed concern, stating the changes could destabilize Mexico's democracy and legal framework.
Human rights groups and financial experts warn that the reforms threaten judicial independence and investor confidence, contributing to the peso's recent decline.
