Mexico is scheduled to hold its first-ever judicial elections on Sunday, with hundreds of judges, magistrates and justices on the ballot across the country. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s an unprecedented contest that supporters say will democratize the courts, but critics fear it could make them more susceptible to the influence of politicians or criminal groups. <\/p>\n
Almost 900 federal positions will be in play, including all nine seats of the Supreme Court, as well as some 1,800 local positions in 19 states. Sunday\u2019s event will be the first of two voting phases, with the second one set for 2027. <\/p>\n
The vote is the result of a constitutional reform that was approved last year during the final weeks of Andr\u00e9s Manuel L\u00f3pez Obrador\u2019s presidency. He had argued that the change was necessary to stem impunity in the courts and give voters a greater say in the judicial process. <\/p>\n
But opponents saw the move as an attempt by L\u00f3pez Obrador to strengthen the power of his ruling Morena party by overhauling the very judiciary that often blocked some of his policy proposals. <\/p>\n
Critics also worry that by having judges elected through popular vote, the independent authority of the courts could be compromised, and with it, their ability to uphold the law and keep other powers in check at a time of rampant crime and corruption. <\/p>\n
Before the reform was enacted, Supreme Court judges were nominated by the president and approved in the Senate, while federal judges were selected by a judicial commission using exams and coursework that evaluated candidates on a meritocratic basis. <\/p>\n
In the new system, federal candidates will be elected by the public after being vetted and nominated by Evaluation Committees of the three branches of government. <\/p>\n
Unlike other elections, those running for a judicial post can\u2019t be nominated or supported by any political party, according to Mexico\u2019s electoral authority. They also can\u2019t receive public or private funding, meaning they must finance their campaign on their own \u2013 a rule that reform supporters say reduces the likelihood of being influenced by political actors, but critics say favors wealthier candidates. <\/p>\n
Candidates are also prohibited from buying campaign ads on TV or radio, but they can promote themselves on social media or through interviews and other forums. <\/p>\n
Once in office, elected judges will be evaluated by a newly established Judicial Disciplinary Tribunal, which will have the power to investigate and sanction judicial personnel, except for Supreme Court justices and electoral magistrates. Some of those sanctions include suspensions, financial penalties, dismissals and disqualifications. <\/p>\n
Although the rules prohibit political parties from providing direct support to a candidate, critics warn that they could still influence the race by encouraging voters to elect people aligned with their interests. <\/p>\n
Local media have reported that some politicians and their supporters have been accused of distributing pamphlets, or cheat sheets, which provide suggestions on who to vote for. <\/p>\n
Just days ahead of the election, the National Electoral Institute (INE) \u2013 which is organizing the vote \u2013 said it was investigating two complaints related to the use of such pamphlets. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe law is very clear about who cannot intervene in this \u2013 neither governments of any level nor political parties,\u201d INE adviser Claudia Zavala said in an interview with Milenio TV. <\/p>\n
Another concern is that political parties could theoretically have a say in which candidates are nominated in the first place. If a single party holds sway over the three branches of government, which oversee the candidates\u2019 nomination process, that party could influence who gets on the ballot. <\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, numerically, who holds the most influence over these branches of government \u2013 executive and legislative, specifically \u2013 would be the Morena party,\u201d said Stephanie Brewer, director for Mexico at the Washington Office on Latin America. <\/p>\n
There\u2019s similar apprehension about the new Judicial Disciplinary Tribunal that\u2019s meant to supervise judges in office. Brewer says that if political actors manage to influence it, they could subsequently exert pressure on the judges it oversees. <\/p>\n
One of the biggest concerns rights groups are warning about is that elections could also be influenced by criminal groups. <\/p>\n
In previous races, Mexican cartels have used violence to impact the outcome of a vote \u2013 often by attacking or assassinating candidates they oppose. Last year, the country saw a record number of victims from political-criminal violence, with Data C\u00edvica, a human rights organization, reporting 661 attacks on people and facilities. Many of the victims either held or were running for municipal-level positions. <\/p>\n
This year, the think tank M\u00e9xico Eval\u00faa warned that eight states have a high risk of political-criminal violence in the upcoming judicial elections, saying that it is \u201chighly likely that, through violence, organized crime will seek to seize judicial powers, especially at the local level.\u201d <\/p>\n
Several political attacks have been recorded in the lead-up to the elections, though most of them involved candidates in mayoral races. <\/p>\n
Miguel Meza of the rights groups Defensorxs says he has not yet seen any attacks against judicial candidates, but that other risks remain. <\/p>\n
\u201cCartels (could) identify possible winners and offer them support in exchange for loyalty,\u201d he said, noting that such actions have happened before, and although they haven\u2019t seen it in this election, \u201cin others, it could intensify.\u201d <\/p>\n
Defensorxs has also raised questions about some judicial candidates. While many have extensive experience in the judicial field, Defensorxs has determined that some are \u201clinked to organized crime, sexual offenses, political-religious sects, and other irregularities.\u201d <\/p>\n
One of them served nearly six years in a US prison on drug offenses, after being accused of smuggling over 4 kilograms of methamphetamines, according to Reuters. That candidate said on Facebook that he faced an \u201cunjust\u201d judicial process and has \u201cmoved on.\u201d <\/p>\n
Another candidate was a defense attorney who joined the team that represented drug lord Joaquin \u201cEl Chapo\u201d Guzman in 2016, a decision she has defended by telling the AP, \u201cEveryone has a right to an effective defense.\u201d <\/p>\n
Meza said his group has filed complaints to INE against some of those candidates but was told that electoral authorities couldn\u2019t invalidate their candidacy at this point. If one of them ends up winning an election, Meza said, the group was told it could try to challenge the victory with the electoral tribunal. <\/p>\n
A poll by Pew Research Center found that most Mexicans approve of the judicial reform. <\/p>\n
Although the policy sparked protests in September when Congress was voting on it, 66% of people surveyed earlier this year said they backed it, with approval being higher among Morena supporters and younger adults. <\/p>\n
Still, the judicial election faces heavy criticism from opposition groups. <\/p>\n
Former President Vicente Fox of the PAN party has urged people not to vote on Sunday. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe judicial election is not democratic. It\u2019s a farce, it\u2019s a hoax \u2026 Don\u2019t go. Don\u2019t waste your time,\u201d he said on X. <\/p>\n
Several civil organizations and opposition figures have indicated that they will boycott Sunday\u2019s vote, and some have called for a nationwide protest on election day. <\/p>\n
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has pushed back against those calls, urging Mexicans to participate in the electoral process and decide who will make up the judiciary. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s better for millions of people to vote than for the president and the Senate of the Republic to decide,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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