By Hundreds of protesters forced their way into Mexico’s Senate chambers on Tuesday, disrupting proceedings as lawmakers prepared to vote on a controversial judicial reform plan championed by outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The dramatic scene unfolded just hours after the ruling Morena party appeared to secure the votes needed to pass the contentious proposal, which critics argue could severely undermine judicial independence and the system of checks and balances in Mexico.
Demonstrators, many of them judicial employees and law students, broke through the Senate’s doors using pipes and chains, chanting “The judiciary isn’t going to fall!” Some protesters fainted in the chaos. The breach forced senators to temporarily recess for safety concerns.
“We felt obligated to enter the Senate,” said Alejandro Navarrete, a 30-year-old judicial worker. “They have decided to sell out the nation. Our intention is not violent, but we intend to make it clear that the Mexican people won’t allow them to lead us into a dictatorship.”
The proposed reform, which would implement the popular election of judges, has been a lightning rod for controversy. López Obrador claims it would combat judicial corruption, but opponents argue it would allow politicians and criminals to influence courts more easily.
The plan’s progress through Mexico’s legislature has been marked by political maneuvering and accusations of betrayal. The ruling Morena party, initially lacking the necessary supermajority in the Senate, appeared to secure crucial votes through controversial means.
One such vote came from Miguel Ángel Yunes Linares, a former governor of Veracruz, who replaced his son, Senator Miguel Ángel Yunes Márquez, after the latter took a leave of absence citing health issues. The sudden substitution raised eyebrows and sparked accusations of an “impunity pact” between the Yunes family and the government.
Upon entering the Senate chambers, Yunes Linares was met with a mix of cheers from Morena senators and cries of “traitor” from his own National Action Party (PAN) colleagues. In a dramatic moment, PAN Senator Lilly Téllez threw coins at Yunes Linares, accusing him of selling out his country.
Yunes Linares denied allegations of coercion, stating, “I’m not a traitor, I’ve never betrayed anyone. I am coming here to act completely freely.”
The proposed judicial overhaul has drawn criticism both domestically and internationally. U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar called it a “risk” to democracy and an economic threat. Investors have expressed concern, and legal experts warn of potential long-term damage to Mexico’s judicial system.
As tensions escalated, some lawmakers condemned the protesters’ actions. Morena Senator Andrea Chávez wrote on social media, “Violently breaking into the plenary session where we, the representatives of the people, deliberate is not a way to resolve differences.”
However, opposition senators like Mayuli Martínez Simón of PAN placed blame on the ruling party. “With absence of dialogue from Morena, today this is what we’re seeing. The citizens, Mexicans, took over the Senate, entering with force. It’s not the best, but we didn’t have any other option,” she told the Associated Press.
The Senate is expected to reconvene and vote on the reform on Wednesday. If passed, the proposal will need ratification by 17 of Mexico’s 32 state legislatures, a hurdle the governing party is believed capable of clearing.
As Mexico grapples with this pivotal moment for its judiciary, the events at the Senate underscore the deep divisions and high stakes surrounding López Obrador’s reform agenda in the twilight of his presidency.
AP
