MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Supreme Courtroom dismissed a proposal Tuesday to scale back the scope of a contentious judicial overhaul making all judges stand for election.
The failed effort would have required solely Supreme Courtroom justices to compete in elections as an alternative of the entire nation’s judges as mandated in a constitutional change authorised in September.
Seven out of 11 justices voted for limiting the scope, however a particular majority of eight was required.
In a press release, the courtroom emphasised that the ruling was not concerning the validity of the judicial overhaul, it solely rejected the challenges from opposition political events.
The choice got here every week after eight justices tendered their resignations saying they are going to depart the courtroom quite than compete in judicial elections scheduled for subsequent June.
The courtroom’s three different justices indicated they are going to compete within the elections.
Final week, Mexico’s Congress and a majority of state legislatures authorised one other constitutional change that protects constitutional amendments from authorized challenges, however the Supreme Courtroom mentioned it didn’t apply on this case because the challenges had been made earlier than that change handed.
Earlier than Tuesday’s ruling, 1000’s of individuals protested outdoors the courtroom.
The judicial overhaul raised considerations inside Mexico and overseas about weakening the separation of powers and the rule of regulation. Critics say making all judges stand for election will politicize the judiciary.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has mentioned the initiative pushed by her predecessor, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who often clashed with the courtroom, will rid the courts of corruption.
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