Demonstrators flood Mexico's Senate during heated debates over questionable judicial reform legislations.
A vote on the extensive constitutional modification, which would allow Mexicans to directly elect judges at all levels of government, was anticipated post-debate. However, chaos ensued when the crowd stormed the upper house on Tuesday, prompting Senate President Gerardo Fernandez Noroña to urge evacuation to avoid conflicts with the protestors.
Intriguing videos captured the unrest, showing protesters violently pounding on the assembly's doors while others waved the Mexican flag from the upper gallery. Several legislators even encouraged the demonstrators.
The sweeping constitutional reform is strongly supported by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has consistently criticized the Supreme Court for hindering some of his key policy proposals.
Upon implementation, Mexicans would elect judges at all government levels via elections, a move that legal experts believe would position Mexico as an outlier in the international judicial system.
The amendment easily sailed through the lower chamber of Congress last week, but López Obrador's ruling coalition requires a supermajority to approve it in the upper house.
Rumors swirled that an opposition senator has defected to the ruling coalition, potentially allowing the reform to pass by the slimmest of margins.
Collateral criticism from US Ambassador Ken Salazar in Mexico City, who referred to the judge elections as "a significant threat to the functionality of Mexico's democracy," fueled a diplomatic dispute between the nations.
Business associations voiced concerns that the reform's passage could undermine the Mexican investment climate, causing the peso's value to plummet.
López Obrador, a well-liked leftist, insists the overhaul is essential to eradicate corruption within Mexico's judiciary and make it more responsive to the populace's will. However, opponents argue that the reform amounts to a power grab, making one of the last remaining checks on presidential power vulnerable to political manipulation.
Currently, Supreme Court judges in Mexico are hand-picked by the president and require Senate approval. Federal judges, on the other hand, are selected by a judicial commission that bases its decisions on meritocratic tests and educational records.
Should the reform be enacted, judge elections will take place the following year, following a campaigning period; a staggering 7,000 judges will compete for seats or relinquish control to the most popular candidate.
This is an evolving story, and updates will follow.
Despite the diplomatic dispute and concerns from business associations, Lopez Obrador remains steadfast in his belief that the judicial reform is crucial for eradicating corruption in the Mexican judiciary. The proposed changes, if passed, would make the Americas an region with a unique judicial system where judges at all levels are directly elected by the people, setting a notable example for the world.
