2024-09-10 23:23:38
The test in the Senate of the controversial reform of the judicial power wanted by the outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was suspended, Tuesday, September 10, by the President of the Upper House, Gerardo Fernandez Norona (presidential majority), after is bursting. there are around a hundred exhibitors into the Hemicycle.
Gathering for several hours near the legislative building, the demonstrators suddenly broke through the security barriers and first hung on the balcony, then in the Hemicycle, leading to the close of the meeting and the transfer of arguments. “I have given instructions for parliamentary functions to call for a reconvened meeting at 7 p.m. [3 heures du matin à Paris] in the former Senate seatsure, on X, Gerardo Fernandez Norona. There will be a reform of the justice system. »
Among the demonstrators were judicial workers on strike and law students chanting “Councillors, arrest the murderer” etc “The power of justice will not fall”displaying a large Mexican flag.
Adopted last week by representatives in a gym, under basketball hoops, after the Lower House of Parliament was blocked by demonstrators, the constitutional amendment provides for the appointment of judges – including those who The Supreme Court – and judges by a “popular vote”.
This reform is also creating strong tensions with Washington, Mexico’s largest trading partner, but also in the country, where daily demonstrations have been held for several weeks.
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who will be replaced on October 1 by the elected president Claudia Sheinbaum, from the same party as him – the National Regeneration Movement (Morena) – maintains that the Mexican judiciary is corrupt and that it serves the economic interests of the elites, while more. over 90% of crimes go unpunished, according to NGOs.
If the reform passes without incident in the Lower House, where the representatives of the government are in the ultramajority, the ruling party and its parties will be a vote that accepts the reform in the Senate. The opposition parties – the National Action Party (PAN, conservative), the Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the Civil Society – announced that they would vote against it. “We have said it before and we repeat it: we will fight to the end to prevent this outrage against the Republic and democracy”wrote a Senator from the Citizen Movement Alejandra Barrales. Opponents of the reform believe it will weaken the independence of judges and make them vulnerable to pressure from organized crime. “Abolishing the justice system is not the way forward”for his part warned the President of the Supreme Court, Norma Pina, in a video broadcast on social networks on Sunday.
“Danger” for Mexican democracy according to Washington
Mr. Lopez Obrador, who has often criticized the country’s highest administrative court for reducing many of its reforms, warned Norma Pina against a possible attempt to block it, which would, according to him, be a “You committed a flagrante offense” of the nation. “What worries those who oppose this reform is that they will lose their privileges, because justice is the work of the powerful. (…) and white-collar crime »announced the outgoing president, whose popularity is around 70%, on Tuesday.
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The United States, Mexico’s main trading partners, saw in this reform a “risk” for Mexico’s democracy and “threat” for two trade relations, while the country, which Mr. Lopez Obrador also ruled for a few weeks, has replaced China as the trading partner of its northern neighbor.
Experts say investor concerns over the currency have contributed to a sharp decline in the peso, which hit its lowest level in two years against the dollar. This is the result of “External factors”for his part answered Mr. Lopez Obrador on Monday. “It’s quick to clean up [le système judiciaire] in the interest of all, including [de ceux] who invests in Mexico. »
The Mexican government was attacked “interference” of the United States in its internal affairs and ordered at the end of August, when exchanges with the United States ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, who has several times publicly criticized the judicial reform, were interrupted.
Margaret Satterthwaite, United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, for her part explains it “Deep Concerns”. “In the absence of strict measures against the infiltration of organized crime [dans le processus de sélection des juges]the electoral system may become vulnerable to such forces”he said Monday evening to Agence France-Presse.
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