Most Mexican Supreme Court justices to resign for overhaul

Eight of the country’s 11 Supreme Court justices this week submitted resignation letters to the Senate. Court president Norma Piña and seven other justices said they will not stand for election next year as required by a judicial overhaul that lawmakers passed last month, according to a Wednesday statement from the court. Seven of the justices will leave after their terms end next August, while the eighth one who resigned will leave the bench when his term ends next month. The court’s remaining three members have indicated that they will compete in the elections.

What changed with the judicial overhaul? Lawmakers last month approved a constitutional change that requires nearly all judges, including members of the Supreme Court, to be elected by popular vote. Previously, the Senate appointed justices to the country’s highest court. The legislation calls for the Court’s number of justices to be reduced to nine. An election is planned for June 2025 in which voters will choose the new Supreme Court justices and thousands of other judicial positions.

Has there been any criticism of the change? Federal judges and critics have filed legal challenges against the legislation as some say it is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court  reportedly published a proposal on Monday to invalidate some parts of the overhaul, while supporting the public vote for Supreme Court justices. Meanwhile, Mexico’s lower house of Congress on Wednesday passed a measure that would protect constitutional amendments from legal challenges. Those who support the overhaul say it is intended to curb corruption within the judicial system. However, international leaders have criticized the changes, with U.S. lawmakers calling them a risk to Mexican democracy.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift about Mexico’s approval of the judicial overhaul.