The recent approval of a judicial reform in Mexico, where judges will now be elected by popular vote, has dealt a fatal blow to the opposition parties in the country. Despite the Senate being just three votes short of stopping the ruling party from implementing the reform, disjointed opposition led to its approval. This loss has severely weakened the opposition, particularly the National Action Party (PAN) and Citizens’ Movement (MC).
The dramatic vote saw unexpected absences, with the PAN senator Miguel Ángel Yunes Márquez voting in favor of the reform, causing disappointment within the party. Another senator’s absence due to a suspicious incident further highlighted the disarray in the opposition ranks.
Civil society organizations have condemned the senators who supported the reform, labeling them as traitors. With limited options to challenge the reform in Congress, the opposition’s only recourse is to appeal to the Mexican Supreme Court to contest its constitutionality.
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