Aspirants for judicial positions begin ‘pre-campaigns’ without clear rules

They come forward

In accordance with the reform, these Committees will begin to receive registrations from people interested in being elected from November 5 to November 24, 2024.

However, activism is already unleashed. For weeks, the ministers of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), Lenia Batres and Loretta Ortiz, have participated in meetings and “information assemblies” on judicial reform, especially on weekends.

Batres, in addition, has now been accompanied by judges or magistrates close to Morena, carries out dissemination activities to explain the judicial reform and even receives awards, such as the one awarded to him over the weekend by the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (ANAD).

The minister even met with Morena’s militant base, at the invitation of the Political Training Institute (IFP) of that party, in the information forum “What is judicial reform about?”

Minister Yasmín Esquivel will also seek re-election in office, but has not led similar public events.

Others are moving on their side, like Eduardo Andrade, a former PRI member who is now close to Morena and aspiring minister of the SCJN, who began broadcasting himself in capsules on his YouTube account a month ago.

Andrade himself, who has also given interviews to YouTubers related to the 4T, acknowledged being an advisor to the Morenoist senator, Oscar Cantón, but explained that he is not prevented by the Constitution. He says that participating in interviews and spreading on networks is a mere exercise of freedom of expression.

For Gloria Corroy Laguna, member of the College of Secretaries and Actuaries of the Federal Judiciary and worker of the Federal Judiciary, it is possible that thousands of judicial secretaries also decide to register or compete for a position as head of court.

“We secretaries have a judicial career of 15 or 20 years, we are preparing to compete in an upcoming exam and the judicial reform canceled the expectation of promotion, so it is likely that there will be those who seek to participate,” he explains.

However, now they continue to mobilize in defense of their rights, especially benefits, so at least among that sector it is not observed that there is any interest in spreading the word and in any case it could be noticed when the registrations begin, he adds.

Morena mobilizes, for now without visible candidates

On October 22, Morena agreed with its deputies and senators to tour the entire country to disseminate all the constitutional reforms, especially the judicial one.

Questioned whether this is an improper intervention in the judicial electoral process, the Morenista leader, Luisa María Alcalde, rejected it, saying that everything is part of organizational tasks and with resources from the legislators.

“From the informational assemblies, each legislator will be in charge of their districts and the multi-member members will help reinforce those entities where we do not have a majority legislator. We are going to be informing about all the reforms, it is about making sure people know all the information,” he said.

For now, there are no visible candidates that the party is endorsing. However, the Morenoist mobilization will last for months. And through its Morenoist Political Training Institute it will be a forum for those close to it.

The ‘manual’ of the winning candidate

Since the legislative process began in September in both chambers of Congress to approve the Judicial Reform, with marches and rallies those who oppose these changes sought dialogue with legislators. They were not received by any of Morena, prior to the amendments.

On the other hand, since last week judges and magistrates who have openly declared their support for judicial reform and their interest in being candidates have had open doors in the Chamber of Deputies.

Thus, Judge Blanca Alicia Ochoa Hernández, of the 14th court based in Mexico City, even attended Wednesday and Thursday of last week and in an interview stated that it is normal to ask for information “from those who win elections and run campaigns” since now The judges will have to do it.

They have also met with the Morenoist legislators Yamin Francisco González Mendoza, from court number 15 and Gabriel Regis López from 16; the magistrate of Mexico City Sandra Camacho, the magistrate of the state of Oaxaca, Adriana Alejandra Ramos and the District Judge of the State of Guerrero, Erick García Jáuregui.

The reality, explains Tonatiuh Medina, is that “what they are doing is not ethical but it is just what they should do: make themselves known to the decision makers to eventually be able to have the support, rent and/or buy a mechanism to mobilize the vote. ”.

On their own, he considers, the aspiring judges and magistrates will not be able to mobilize the vote if they do not have a party structure, “”that is why they are in the lobbying stage with those who have a way to influence election day.”

”Is it illegal? Well there are no campaigns yet, therefore there are no pre-campaigns nor can we call them pre-pre-campaigns. There is advance proselytism, yes, but it is not regulated,” he explains.

“What are the steps that any candidate must follow if they want to win? First you have to make yourself known to all the necessary politicians of almost all colors, but essentially from the ruling party.

“Two, look for sponsors because the campaigns are very expensive. Three be very careful because electoral districts do not match judicial circuits. And above all, they are going to have to use an army of mobilizers and become or become experts in social networks, it is the only way to make themselves known.”

The first thing they should impact is the Evaluation Committee, “then the majority of those who will vote in the plenary session, so what they do is normal.”

In addition, they will have to spend, since the new judicial reform and its deficiencies subjected them to that.

There will be problems in auditing – he warns – because they are now spreading, but there are not even dates or audit rules that apply.

“If there is abuse, but I insist, being pragmatic, the way for them to know you is to request an audience with the decision makers. I don’t like the reform but I do see that whoever wants to win has to move.

“Why are they looking for Morena? Because regardless of whether the other parties want to get involved in the process or not, they no longer even have bases, mobilizing structures like the new ruling party. They no longer guarantee victories,” he warns.

Who are those who are in the pre-campaign?

Judge Sandra Verónica Camacho Cárdenas, of the sixth Collegiate Labor Court of the first circuit, was accused of alleged workplace harassment, and three disciplinary proceedings have been filed against her but were unsuccessful.

Among the decisions he has made as part of a Court, there is a complaint from Pemex partially based on the case related to María Amparo Casar, former head of Mexicans Against Corruption.

The Sixteenth Judge in Administrative Matters of Mexico City, Gabriel Regis López, in April granted protection to trans women athletes so that they could be allowed to play on women’s teams in professional volleyball tournaments.

They do a “campaign” with Lenia Batres:

Bankruptcy judge Saúl Martínez Lira, fifth judge of the Chiapas district. Until a few months ago he declared the bankruptcy of Interjet, he was in charge of the bankruptcy of Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) and 63 other company insolvency proceedings. He was transferred to Chiapas as a district judge in matters of protection.

Judge Vladimir Véjar Gómez, circuit magistrate assigned to the third Collegiate Court on Administrative Matters of Mexico City. In 2023, as a judge assigned to the Federal Criminal Justice Center in the State of Chihuahua, he released, to continue his trial in freedom, the former Anti-Corruption Prosecutor of Chihuahua, Francisco González Arredondo, accused of torture.

Today’s Morena senator, Javier Corral, led a campaign to designate González as a political prisoner since he led investigations against former president César Duarte. The accused in turn denounced Governor María Eugenia Campos, of the PAN, of bribery in the Duarte “secret payroll” case.