Mexicans voted for judges in a historic and controversial election meant to reform the country’s deeply corrupt justice system, but critics and experts warn that the move could increase political interference and allow organized crime to influence the courts through threats and bribery.
A New Way to Choose Judges
On Sunday, Mexico held its first-ever nationwide elections where voters chose judges and magistrates. The reform makes Mexico the only country in the world where all judges, including Supreme Court justices, are selected by popular vote.
The government said this change was necessary to fix a broken judicial system. Supporters believe it could help clean up corruption and reduce impunity. Critics, however, warned that it could worsen the situation by allowing organized crime and politics to influence the justice system.
Mixed Reactions from Voters
Many citizens supported the idea of changing how judges are appointed. Arturo Giesemann, a 57-year-old retiree, said, “The disgust I have with the current judiciary because of its corruption,” was his reason for voting.
However, many voters admitted they had little information about the candidates. With hundreds of names on the ballots, people struggled to make informed choices.
Lucia Calderon, a 63-year-old university teacher, said, “We are not very prepared. I think we need more information.”
Maria Estrada, a housewife in Jalisco, also faced the same issue. She said she relied on her “intuition” because she didn’t know who the candidates were.
Experts Warn of Greater Risks
Legal experts and international observers raised serious concerns. They said electing judges could open the doors to political interference and criminal influence.
Margaret Satterthwaite, a United Nations expert on judicial independence, said, “There is reason to believe that elections may be more easily infiltrated by organized crime than other methods of judicial selection.”
Protests and Criticism
The elections sparked protests in Mexico City. Demonstrators carried signs with slogans like “Hands off our democracy” and “No to electoral fraud.” Some saw this reform as a threat to judicial independence.
Ismael Novela, a 58-year-old worker, said, “It was the last counterweight we had against the totalitarianism of the executive branch.”
President Defends the Reform
President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the criticism just before the vote. She denied that the elections were meant to give political control over the courts.
“Those who want the regime of corruption and privileges in the judiciary to continue say this election is rigged. Or they also say it’s so a political party can take over the Supreme Court. Nothing could be further from the truth,” she said in a video message.
Concerns About Criminal Ties
Although there was no violence during the campaign, experts believe that criminal groups may have tried to influence the process.
Luis Carlos Ugalde, a former head of Mexico’s electoral commission, said, “It is logical that organized criminal groups would have approached judges and candidates who are important to them.”
A rights group named Defensorxs listed around 20 candidates as high-risk. One of them, Silvia Delgado, is a former lawyer for Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Another candidate in Durango had served nearly six years in a U.S. prison for drug offenses.
Who Were the Voters Choosing?
Mexicans were asked to select around 880 federal judges, including Supreme Court members. They also voted for hundreds of local-level judges and magistrates. Another round of elections is expected in 2027 to fill the remaining positions.
To qualify, candidates needed to hold a law degree, have legal experience, a clean criminal record, and what the law defines as a “good reputation.”
Challenge of Making an Informed Choice
David Shirk, a professor at the University of San Diego, pointed out the difficulty of making a well-informed decision.
“To do a good job, voters would have to spend hours and hours researching the track record and the profiles of each of the hundreds of candidates,” he said.
Shirk believes most of the corruption in Mexico’s justice system exists in the police and prosecution departments.
“If you can avoid being prosecuted, you don’t have to worry about the judge,” he added.
Background of the Reform
This judicial reform was originally introduced by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. He often clashed with the courts and wanted to reduce their power. David Shirk commented, “The main reason for the elections seems to be because Lopez Obrador had a grudge against the judges.”
