Justice Lenia Batres has once again found herself at the center of controversy within the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), following the emergence of new allegations regarding tensions and confrontations with members of the country’s highest court.
According to information reported by journalist Julián Mazoy, employees and sources close to the Court describe Batres as an “overbearing, obstinate, and aggressive” figure—characterizations that began to circulate within the Judiciary following a falling-out with Justice María Estela Ríos.
According to the journalist, the conflict occurred during a private meeting held prior to a Plenary session, where the Justices and their staff review the matters scheduled for discussion that day.
Julián Mazoy stated that Lenia Batres arrived late to the meeting and subsequently engaged in an argument regarding internal organizational matters of the Court.
The journalist recounted that the moment of highest tension occurred when Batres addressed Justice María Estela Ríos using a diminutive form of her name.
“She said to her: ‘Oh, Estelita,'” Mazoy recounted on his social media channels.
According to the reported account, the remark offended the 79-year-old Justice, who responded directly to Batres: “Justice Batres, you will address me as ‘Madam Justice’ or by my full name: María Estela Ríos. Even though I am 79 years old, I am not a diminutive; I am not a little girl; I am not Estelita.”
According to the journalist, following this verbal exchange, María Estela Ríos reportedly rebuked her: “Lenia, I am tired of this; you are overbearing, obstinate, and aggressive.”
Signs of Deterioration in Court Relations
Mazoy maintained that various individuals consulted within the SCJN share this same description of Justice Lenia Batres, asserting that her relationship with certain members of the Plenary has reached a point of severe strain.
“Lenia’s problem is not a lack of competence to serve as a Justice, but rather the manner in which she interacts with her colleagues on the Plenary and with the rest of the institution’s staff,” the journalist stated. He also pointed out that internal conflicts are not merely personal matters, as they involve the operations and stability of the country’s highest constitutional court.
Criticisms regarding Lenia Batres’s conduct within the Supreme Court are also accompanied by various public episodes in which the Justice has been at the center of technical errors, confusion during voting, and on-the-spot corrections made in the middle of a session.
One of the most recent instances occurred when Batres Guadarrama was the only member of the Plenary of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) to vote against compelling the IMSS (Mexican Social Security Institute) to provide hearing aids, implants, prosthetics, and eyeglasses to children and adolescents with disabilities.
In another episode, the Justice read a complete statement regarding assisted reproduction even though the topic had already been withdrawn from discussion, forcing other Justices to intervene and clarify to her that the matter was no longer under debate.
Corrections have also been a recurring theme in reclamación appeals and matters related to Coahuila, where Batres had to revise the direction of her votes several times after they failed to align with the technical criteria being discussed during the session.
Furthermore, during the discussion of an amparo proceeding, she argued that the legal challenge was inadmissible; however, other Justices pointed out legal flaws in her reasoning, leading her to ultimately retract her position and align herself with the majority.
Another controversy that left its mark on Lenia Batres occurred in late 2023, when a video recorded in a residential complex in Mexico City went viral, showing her involved in a verbal altercation with a neighbor.
The video initially shows her son arguing with a neighbor in the property’s communal courtyard. Subsequently, Batres intervenes in the conflict, hurling insults while attempting to bring the confrontation to an end.
Among the phrases captured in the recording, the Justice can be heard saying: “Just leave that absolute bitch alone—come on, get inside. We actually pay rent.” The episode re-entered public discourse following new allegations regarding Lenia Batres’s relationship with other members of the Supreme Court.
Source: politico
