Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has enacted a contentious judicial reform law that will make Mexico the first country to elect all its judges by popular vote. López Obrador signed the decree on Sunday, declaring it a “historic day” in a social media video.
“This is about ensuring justice for everyone and eliminating corruption in the judiciary,” López Obrador stated, emphasizing the need for adherence to the principle that the law applies to everyone equally.
Accompanied by president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who will succeed him on October 1, López Obrador highlighted that the ruling coalition’s significant electoral victory in June had paved the way for this reform. The new law comes amid heightened domestic and international tensions.
Protests against the law led to the suspension of legislative debates, with demonstrators storming the Senate last week. Critics argue that the reforms undermine democratic checks and balances, and have raised concerns among Mexico’s key trading partners, the United States and Canada. U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar warned that the reforms could jeopardize investor confidence and pose a risk to Mexican democracy by potentially enabling politically motivated and inexperienced judges.
López Obrador, who has frequently criticized the judiciary and Supreme Court, argued that the overhaul was necessary to better serve ordinary citizens and counteract what he described as an oligarchic system disguised as democracy.
Critics fear that elected judges may be influenced by political pressures and powerful interests, including drug cartels. The constitutional reform initiates preparations for the first judicial elections, including for Supreme Court justices, scheduled for June 2025.
