The discussion was divided: Morena and its allies voted in favor of the reform, as they assert that this constitutional modification is to eliminate the nepotism that currently exists in the Judicial Branch, as well as to allow citizens to elect judicial authorities through their vote.
“I am convinced that the reform of the Judicial Branch is something laudable for our country. In reality, there is a lot of speculation and they want to create a false narrative with lies about the autonomy of the Judicial Branch, the selection processes, the election itself. To tell them that it is false that the autonomy of the Judicial Branch is violated, on the contrary, it is strengthened. There has never been autonomy of the Judicial Branch, it was always owed to the senators and the President of the Republic, not today, it has to be of the people,” declared Senator Saúl Monreal.
Opposition senators warned that it is not “viable” to put judges, ministers and magistrates to a vote since “several” ballots will be given to citizens with the names of the candidates.
“What they are proposing is not viable, because there are dozens, thousands of names that they have to put on the ballot; they are not going to learn them. They have not told us how they will campaign, there is no secondary law. This is poorly planned,” said Carolina Viggiano.
The PRI member told Morena that they cannot talk about nepotism when there are families working in the Executive and Legislative Branches, such as, she exemplified, “the Monreals,” since she said that there are at least 10 people from that clan working in various positions: Ricardo, David, Saúl, Rodolfo, Eulogio, Luis Enrique, Ana María, Susana, María Refugio.
PAN member Marko Cortés said that the reform has negative impacts on the country’s economy, such as generating economic uncertainty, straining trade relations with the United States and Canada and exposing it to international sanctions, in addition to causing a decrease in confidence and devaluing the peso.
“This proposal is regressive and destructive in form, because there is a serious setback in the country’s democratic model; this proposal is regressive and destructive in substance, because it violates the autonomy of the Judiciary, because it will subject judges and magistrates through the Disciplinary Inquisition Court,” he said.
Following approval by the committees, in general and specific terms, the ruling will be put to a vote in the Senate plenary session next Wednesday, amid controversy over whether Morena and its allies will achieve the qualified majority for its approval, since these are constitutional reforms.
If all 128 senators show up for work, the so-called “Fourth Transformation” bloc will be just one senator away from a qualified majority, since it has 85 legislators.
However, this afternoon the president of the Senate, Gerardo Fernández Noroña, insisted that Morena and its allies already have 86 votes to approve the reform.
Asked if the ruling party already has the votes it needs for a qualified majority, the senator replied: “We have been saying yes all week.”
He warned that the qualified majority – in case all senators attend the session – is built with 85 votes, but clarified that to avoid any discussion the ideal is to reach 86 votes, which, he emphasized, they already have.
