In a historic move, Mexico is electing its entire judiciary through direct ballot, sparking controversy and debate among critics and supporters alike. The first vote in this unique election saw candidates vying for positions ranging from local magistrates to Supreme Court justices.
Among the contenders is Silvia Delgado, a lawyer who has been making headlines with her past defense of notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán. Critics argue that her connection to the Sinaloa Cartel should disqualify her from standing as a judge, but Delgado insists she has done nothing wrong.
“Why should it? For doing my job?” Delgado retorts when asked about potential conflicts of interest. “For defending people’s individual guarantees? For mounting an adequate technical defense for a human being? Why should that make me illegitimate?”
Despite her critics, Delgado remains confident in her ability to serve as a judge. However, she is not the only candidate with controversy surrounding them. The list of “high risk candidates” compiled by Defensorxs includes Silvia Delgado and 18 others.
Miguel Alfonso Meza, the director of Defensorxs, believes that these candidates pose a danger to the legitimacy of Mexico’s justice system. He argues that someone who has worked with a cartel, even as a lawyer, is unlikely to be able to separate their professional life from their personal one.
“The Sinaloa Cartel is not just El Chapo Guzmán,” Meza explains. “It’s a company with criminal and economic interests that are being resolved in the justice system. The cartel could pressure her to show loyalty because she has already been their employee.”
Delgado rejects these claims, insisting that she was simply doing her job as a lawyer. She also denies any allegations of receiving payment from the Sinaloa Cartel or being compromised by her past association with them.
Silvia Delgado is competing for one of over 7,500 judicial positions up for grabs in this election. While it has been met with widespread protests and criticism, supporters argue that electing judges through direct ballot will bring about much-needed reform to Mexico’s justice system.
“This vote will grant the justice system true independence as it’s not chosen by the President of the Republic but elected by the people of Mexico to represent them,” says Olivia Aguirre Bonilla, a candidate seeking a seat on the Supreme Court. “The difference here is that our ‘untouchable’ legal system – and it was untouchable because it was controlled by the elites, by privilege – for the first time in history will be voted in.”
As Mexicans go to the polls, all eyes are on the turnout and abstention rates as indicators of their backing for this historic reform. The outcome remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the future of Mexico’s justice system hangs in the balance.
The candidates have been campaigning hard, with many using social media to get their message out. But despite the efforts, concerns remain about the potential politicization of the judiciary and the impact it could have on the country’s institutions.
As Silvia Delgado puts it, “I just hope the people of Ciudad Juárez will respect my work enough to allow me to sit in judgement of other criminals who are brought before me.”
Source: BBC
