Legislative norms were taken care of to stop objections: Morena

Enrique Mendez and Fernando Camacho

The newspaper La Jornada
Thursday, September 5, 2024, p. 4

The debate on the constitutional reform of the Judicial Branch of the Federation was prolonged due to the care of the legislative forms, to try to avoid a challenge and a setback in the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation and also due to the number of deputies who paraded through the improvised tribune of Magdalena Mixhuca.

From 4 pm on Tuesday, when the discussion began, to 10 am yesterday, Wednesday, 136 speakers from the six parties outlined the two visions of justice in the country and its application. While the opposition stated that the country is moving towards a dictatorshipMorena and its allies claimed that they were right and that it was even a question of an innovative reform, unique in the world.

In the early morning, while fatigue was taking its toll on most of the deputies, the PRI member Noel Chávez exclaimed: I’m wearing black, because there’s a funeral!

Given the history of reforms that the Court has declared unconstitutional due to flaws in the parliamentary process, this time Morena did not skip any stage.

The opposition insisted on verifying the quorumto confirm that all those sitting in the chairs were deputies.

Majority coordinator Ricardo Monreal explained that care was even taken to record each legislator saying his name and the direction of his vote. We have their faces one by onehe boasted.

Beyond the content and form, the session was extended by the number of participants. Just the presentation of the positions of each of the six parties took an hour and a half. Another 72 speakers intervened in the six rounds for and against, in a process that lasted until 3:15 in the morning, due to interruptions, calls to order and the insistence of the deputies to speak for longer than authorized.

Time, time!they demanded from the stalls of the cherry bench.

At that time, the vote on the general resolution finally began by roll call. In the absence of an electronic board, each legislator had to state his name, party and the direction of his vote.

As expected, the correlation of forces confirmed a qualified majority of 359 votes in favor of Morena and its allies, and 135 against, from the opposition. Once the result that authorized changing the Constitution was known, the PAN insisted on its cry: resistance, resistance! The response came from Morenoism: It is an honor to be with Obrador! and Madam President, Madam President!

The long and complex process of the statements in favor of and against the ruling softened the benches, who negotiated to reduce the 1,600 reservations registered individually to 68. The discussion began at 4:30 in the afternoon on Tuesday. The agreement of the majority included the approval of only three.

None of the amendments approved were to simplify – as Monreal had proposed – the format of the ballot to be used in the extraordinary election of judges, magistrates and ministers next year.

Morena also did not take up proposals that had been anticipated by Olga Sánchez Cordero, who said she was hospitalized on the recommendation of her cardiologist.

Finally, the number of individual speakers was reduced to 58. The last to sign up was Monreal, to close the discussion, while the opposition left in silence.

After this session, the parliamentary groups will take a break: Tuesday’s session will be only for initiatives and on Wednesday the reform to grant full rights to indigenous peoples and communities will be discussed. And the majority’s celebration will be on Monday, with a meal in the gardens of the House.