Protests Erupt as Mexican Senate Passes Controversial Judicial Reform

A chaotic scene unfolded in the Mexican Senate on Tuesday as protesters stormed the building, forcing the suspension of debate on a contentious judicial reform championed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, CNN reports.

The proposed reform, which would allow Mexicans to elect judges at all levels through popular vote, sparked fierce opposition, leading to the dramatic breach of security at the Senate building.

Footage captured the scene as protesters banged on the chamber doors, waved the Mexican flag from the gallery, and even received cheers from some lawmakers. The unrest resulted in at least one person being injured, according to the Senate communications team.

Senate President Gerardo Fernandez Noroña, forced to evacuate the chamber to avoid confrontations, eventually allowed the vote to proceed. The reform ultimately passed with 86 votes in favor, 41 against, and zero abstentions, clearing a significant hurdle.

The proposed reform, which would fundamentally change the way judges are selected in Mexico, has been met with strong criticism from legal experts, business groups, and even the US Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar. Salazar described the election of judges as “a major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy.” His comments, which sparked a diplomatic spat between the two countries, were echoed by business groups who warned of potential damage to Mexico’s investment climate.

Critics argue the reform represents a power grab that will erode one of the few remaining checks on presidential authority. Currently, Supreme Court judges are nominated by the president and approved by the Senate, while federal judges are chosen through a merit-based system by a judicial commission.

Under the proposed reform, judicial elections would be held next year, forcing approximately 7,000 judges to campaign for their positions. The overhaul coincides with the growing power of López Obrador’s political movement, Morena, which secured a landslide victory for his protege, Claudia Sheinbaum, in the June presidential election.

While Sheinbaum has supported the judicial reform, she has attempted to address concerns that it would concentrate power for Morena by proposing a system where nominations are split between the three branches of government.