AMLO criticizes the fear-mongering over judicial reform

Alonso Urrutia

Sent

The newspaper La Jornada
Sunday, September 8, 2024, p. 4

Tulum, QR., On the eve of the decisive week regarding the future of the Federal Judicial Branch (PJF) in the Senate, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador reproached the opposition for sowing uncertainty about the effects of these changes: They are trying to confuse us by saying that there is a lot of instability because we are going to carry out judicial reform. What fear are they going to have if what we want is to banish corruption?asked.

On his tour of the southeast of the country, accompanied by the president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum, the president highlighted that during his administration the peso has strengthened and, as has not happened for 50 years, it has revalued and maintained its value, 20 days before the end of the six-year term.

In this context, he attacked the conservative bloc, which warns of a possible economic impact of the constitutional amendment.

“What is the fear? What do you think? That judges, magistrates and ministers are elected by the president, the senators, the parties, or the people? That is all (…) And how do we do it? Well, with the people, who are the ones who help purify public life.”

During the inauguration of El Jaguar Park in Tulum, the president opened a space in his speech to criticize the opposition strategies, highlighting the need for a reform in the PJF, because it is essential to end this revolving door in justice. It takes a lot of work to stop these chipsbecause the lives of police officers, soldiers and sailors are risked so that the attitude of the judges allows their release in a few days, especially on weekends, in the famous Saturday mornings.

How can the Judiciary be cleansed of corruption if not by the people themselves? He insisted, and responded that the way is very simple: through the election of judges, magistrates and ministers, just as is done with deputies, senators, mayors, governors and the president.

Later, in a second event held in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, in a brief interview, the Executive refused to speak about the presence of the president of the Court, Norma Piña, in the protests of PJF workers.

In the morning in Tulum, a smiling Claudia Sheinbaum was full of praise for López Obrador, just over three weeks before she takes over and takes office: The President does not like me to say it, because he admires many presidents of Mexico, among them the great Benito Juárez, but I say that President López Obrador, if not the best, is one of the great presidents in the history of Mexico, he is among the greats.

On a tour aimed at the inauguration of projects associated with the Mayan Train and to supervise the progress of the last stage of this iconic work, Sheinbaum highlighted –in Felipe Carrillo Puerto– the president’s perseverance: When there is conviction and heart, the impossible becomes possiblehe said. Both have been traveling since yesterday on the Mayan Train, on routes that have not yet been inaugurated (in the morning, from Tulum to Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and in the afternoon, from Felipe Carrillo Puerto to Bacalar), but which are planned to be inaugurated in the next three weeks.

Satisfied with the progress of his magnum opus, López Obrador recalled that in the middle of his term, a video of a child who presented a cardboard train at a festival in this region, in reference to the Mayan Train, went viral. Well today, that dream is a reality.he stressed.