Over 18,000 individuals in Mexico registered online to run to become Supreme Court justices and federal judges. A constitutional reform put in place in September mandates that all federal judges run for election; historically, court employees and lawyers would see their careers progress to higher positions within the legal system. Critics argue the reform undermines judicial independence and could enable external influences like drug cartels or political parties to sway judicial outcomes by funding campaigns. A review process will narrow the field to fewer than 9,000 candidates, then random drawing will decide which 1,793 candidates make it to the ballot for 881 judgeships and nine Supreme Court seats.
The requirements for candidates include holding a law degree with a 3.2 GPA, five years of professional experience, and five recommendation letters. Critics worry that many on the ballot will lack courtroom experience and liken the process to electing a doctor based on popularity rather than expertise. But Arturo Zaldivar, a key advisor to President Claudia Sheinbaum, defended the process, calling the results "spectacular." Nonetheless, worries persist about the lack of impartiality as evaluation committee members hail from legislative or executive bodies controlled by the ruling Morena party. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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