Mexico's Senate passed a significant overhaul of the country's judiciary early Wednesday, clearing the path for a controversial constitutional revision that will require all judges to stand for election.
The approval came after two votes, following intense protests on Tuesday when demonstrators stormed the Senate chamber as the governing Morena party, led by outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, appeared to have secured the necessary votes. The legislation had already passed the lower house, where Morena holds a supermajority, but the Senate's approval was the biggest challenge.
The final votes were 86-41, with the second taken around 4 a.m. The legislation now heads to state legislatures, where at least 17 of Mexico's 32 states must ratify it. Oaxaca’s legislature became the first to do so just hours after the Senate's approval.
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, set to take office on Oct. 1, praised the move, stating that electing judges would strengthen justice in Mexico and end corruption. However, the proposal has sparked significant opposition. Critics argue that it could undermine judicial independence and checks and balances, making the judiciary vulnerable to political influence.
On Tuesday night, protesters carrying pipes and chains broke into the Senate chamber, accusing lawmakers of ignoring their concerns. While the protest briefly halted the session, the Senate reconvened in a different location, voting shortly after midnight.
