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Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mexico judicial elections: Government calls it essential reform. Critics say it's a farce
Hyper-democracy or ruling-party power play? That is the question as Mexicans go to the polls Sunday to elect the country's judges in a radical reshaping of the nation's power structure. At a time when many observers fear that President Trump is targeting judicial independence in the U.S., lawmakers here have opted to revamp the judiciary in a landmark — and extremely divisive — reform. Mexico, which has never before voted for judges, will become the first country to have an all-elected judiciary. The unprecedented vote has generated both widespread controversy and profound confusion as thousands of candidates vie for close to 900 federal judicial slots, including all nine on the Supreme Court. Polls have shown that many Mexicans are both skeptical and apathetic— and have no idea whom to favor among the vast array of mostly unknown contenders, some with links to organized crime. At least one candidate served time in a U.S. prison for methamphetamine smuggling, and several others have represented drug traffickers, including one would-be judge who was on the legal team of cartel kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. Read more: So what really happened at the cartel training site dubbed 'Mexican Auschwitz'? "I've participated in elections all my life, but this will be the first time that I won't vote," said Marcelo Díaz, 68, a retiree in the capital. "I don't have any idea who the candidates are, or what they stand for." Supporters of the election, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, hail the transition as a blow against impunity. Critics denounce the move as Mexico's latest step toward authoritarian rule in a country where Sheinbaum's Morena bloc dominates at the federal and state levels. More than half of the country's more than 1,500 federal judge and magistrate posts will be up for grabs on Sunday, and the rest in 2027. Voters in 19 states will be choosing almost 2,000 regional judges. Sheinbaum and her allies call the shake-up a necessary makeover of an ossified system riven with corruption and nepotism. Under the current system, the president says, judges routinely spring organized crime figures, tax cheats and other well-to-do criminals, while impunity for murder and other crimes is the norm. Detention of poor suspects may drag on for years without trials. "Now they accuse us of being authoritarian," Sheinbaum said recently, rejecting criticism of the elections. "How can this be authoritarian if the people decide?" While conceding shortcomings in the current judiciary, opponents label the elections a move toward a one-party state. Even though the balloting is officially nonpartisan, many anticipate that candidates close to the ruling party will dominate. Critics predict the weakening of checks and balances. "That the judicial system doesn't work as it should work, and hasn't worked, is a given," wrote columnist Denise Maerker in Mexico's Milenio news outlet. "Corruption reigns and the rich and most powerful triumph. But this is not a remedy — it's a demolition." Previously, expert panels appointed judges after a screening process that involved judicial administrators, exams and evaluations. The president appointed Supreme Court justices, with Senate consent. In the new system, qualifications are rudimentary. Among other requirements, aspiring jurists must possess law degrees, have at least five years of legal work experience, and certify their "good reputation" and lack of criminal convictions. Even ruling-party stalwarts have conceded serious deficiencies in the new system. Last month, Sen. Gerardo Fernández Noroña called for the scrapping of at least 20 candidates identified as having possible links to organized crime. The electoral commission said it was too late to remove them from the ballot. Among the candidates in Chihuahua state is Silvia Rocío Delgado, a one-time lawyer for the notorious "El Chapo" Guzmán, now serving a life sentence in the United States for narcotics trafficking, murder and other crimes. "There shouldn't be a stigma" for having represented El Chapo, Delgado told Univisión Noticias. "If people vote for me, I will seek impartiality of justice for both sides." Read more: 17 members of a cartel kingpin's family were escorted into California from Mexico. Why? Seeking office in the northwestern state of Durango is Leopoldo Javier Chávez Vargas. He has acknowledged having served almost six years in U.S. custody for methamphetamine trafficking. "I have never presented myself as the perfect candidate," Chávez said in a Facebook video. But, he added, "I will be a judge who will listen attentively to your stories." The tentacles of organized crime reach deep into Mexico's political and judicial order. Judges are often targets. Since 2012, at least 17 Mexican judges and six clerks have been killed in connection with their work, according to the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based research organization. "There is little doubt that a fully independent, competent justice system is essential if Mexico's wave of violence is to end," the group concluded in a report on Mexico's judicial elections. Sheinbaum has defended the revamped process, saying that only "a very small percentage" of candidates appear unqualified. Many candidates have previously served as judges or clerks. The 64 contenders for nine seats on the Supreme Court include three sitting justices, Lenia Batres Guadarrama, Yasmin Esquivel and Loretta Ortiz. Among the candidates for lower judicial posts is Delia Quiroa, 42, who has spent years providing legal advice to families seeking to trace the fates of "disappeared" relatives. Quiroa founded a search group for the missing after her brother was kidnapped in 2014. He was never seen again. "A lot of people say we can't do anything because of threats from organized crime, or we don't have qualified people," said Quiroa, who is running in northwest Sinaloa state, an epicenter of cartel violence. "I've seen the problems in the courts. It's time to demand a change." While generating political polemics, Sunday's vote has not triggered the raucous street rallies that generally accompany Mexican balloting. Much of the campaigning has unfolded on social media, where would-be judges with limited public profiles hype their bona fides. Ballots do not denote political affiliations; political parties are banned from bankrolling candidates. Instead, candidates must rely on self-funding, which tends to favor the wealthy. One recent poll showed that almost half of Mexicans weren't even aware that that vote was happening. And those who do come out to vote will have to grapple with a convoluted, color-coded assemblage of ballots listing hundreds of names, all with corresponding numbers. Atop each ballot are circles into which voters must fill in the numbers associated with their preferred candidates. A running joke here is that learning the mechanics of voting may be more challenging than deciding whom to vote for. "The truth is I don't understand one bit how we are to vote," said Rosa María Castro, 54, a housewife in Mexico City. "It all looks very complicated." Read more: Trump wants to attack drug cartels. How can Mexico respond if he does? The elections are the brainchild of ex-President Andrès Manuel López Obrador — who, like Trump, often clashed with the judiciary, complaining that unelected judges were thwarting his aspirations for a "transformation" of Mexican society. In 2024, near the end of his six-year-term, López Obrador proposed amending the constitution to mandate judicial elections. Outraged judicial employees staged disruptive street protests, but to no avail. The Morena-dominated Congress fast-tracked the constitutional changes. Sunday's vote will be the culmination of the ex-president's vision for a people's court. It's a leap into the unknown for a country where so many long ago lost faith in the concept of justice. "The success of President Sheinbaum's plans to dismantle criminal organizations and prosecute violent crime more effectively will rest on an able, impartial judiciary," the International Crisis group wrote. "For now, however, opinions remain divided as to whether the country's grand experiment in direct election of judges will remedy longstanding failings — or just recast and possibly exacerbate them." McDonnell and Linthicum are staff writers, Sánchez Vidal a special correspondent. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
PesoRama Announces Grand Opening of Store #27 on May 31st in Patio Martin Carrera
A live stream of the ribbon cutting and new store opening celebration will be held on Saturday, May 31 at 3:00 PM CDMX / 5:00 PM EST on JOi's Instagram page: @ Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2025) - PesoRama Inc. (TSXV: PESO) ("PesoRama" or the "Company"), a Canadian company operating dollar stores in Mexico under the JOi Dollar Plus brand, today announces the upcoming grand opening of store #27 on May 31st in Patio Martin Carrera. Store #27 is a 481 square meter location inside the "Patio Martin Carrera" mall in the Martin Carrera neighbourhood. Known for its established commercial activity and higher-income residents, this area offers a strong customer base seeking convenient access to everyday essentials. Located 8.7 kilometers from the center of Mexico City. "The opening of our 27th JOi Dollar Plus Store in Mexico, bodes well for our overall expansion and provides greater accessibility to Mexican consumers who want to shop at our stores," said Rahim Bhaloo, Founder, CEO & Chairman of PesoRama. "There are multiple new locations with a high density of potential customers, where we would like to open our stores to drive continued growth and success." To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Join Our Live Stream on Instagram! A live stream of the ribbon cutting and new store opening celebration will be held on JOi's Instagram page on Saturday, May 31st at 3:00 PM CDMX / 5:00 PM EST. Join us in celebrating and follow along on Instagram: @ About PesoRama Inc. PesoRama, operating under the JOi Dollar Plus brand, is a Mexican value dollar store retailer. PesoRama launched operations in 2019 in Mexico City and the surrounding areas targeting high density, high traffic locations. PesoRama's 26 stores (27th store opening on May 31st) offer consistent merchandise offerings which include items in the following categories: household goods, pet supplies, seasonal products, party supplies, health and beauty, snack food items, confectionery and more. For more information visit: For further information please contact: Rahim BhalooFounder, CEO & Chairmanrahim@ Cautionary Note This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, among other things, statements regarding the Company's planned expansion, new store openings and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate. While the Company believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements, including due to changes in consumer behaviour, general economic factors, the ability of the Company to execute its strategies, the availability of capital and the risk factors which are discussed in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's prospectus dated January 31, 2022 and filed under the Company's profile on The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. PesoRama undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of PesoRama, its securities, or its financial or operating results (as applicable). Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Mexico will hold historic judicial elections on Sunday. Some believe it will hurt democracy
Mexico is scheduled to hold its first-ever judicial elections on Sunday, with hundreds of judges, magistrates and justices on the ballot across the country. It's an unprecedented contest that supporters say will democratize the courts, but critics fear it could make them more susceptible to the influence of politicians or criminal groups. Almost 900 federal positions will be in play, including all nine seats of the Supreme Court, as well as some 1,800 local positions in 19 states. Sunday's event will be the first of two voting phases, with the second one set for 2027. The vote is the result of a constitutional reform that was approved last year during the final weeks of Andrés Manuel López Obrador's presidency. He had argued that the change was necessary to stem impunity in the courts and give voters a greater say in the judicial process. But opponents saw the move as an attempt by López Obrador to strengthen the power of his ruling Morena party by overhauling the very judiciary that often blocked some of his policy proposals. Critics also worry that by having judges elected through popular vote, the independent authority of the courts could be compromised, and with it, their ability to uphold the law and keep other powers in check at a time of rampant crime and corruption. Before the reform was enacted, Supreme Court judges were nominated by the president and approved in the Senate, while federal judges were selected by a judicial commission using exams and coursework that evaluated candidates on a meritocratic basis. In the new system, federal candidates will be elected by the public after being vetted and nominated by Evaluation Committees of the three branches of government. Unlike other elections, those running for a judicial post can't be nominated or supported by any political party, according to Mexico's electoral authority. They also can't receive public or private funding, meaning they must finance their campaign on their own – a rule that reform supporters say reduces the likelihood of being influenced by political actors, but critics say favors wealthier candidates. Candidates are also prohibited from buying campaign ads on TV or radio, but they can promote themselves on social media or through interviews and other forums. Once in office, elected judges will be evaluated by a newly established Judicial Disciplinary Tribunal, which will have the power to investigate and sanction judicial personnel, except for Supreme Court justices and electoral magistrates. Some of those sanctions include suspensions, financial penalties, dismissals and disqualifications. Although the rules prohibit political parties from providing direct support to a candidate, critics warn that they could still influence the race by encouraging voters to elect people aligned with their interests. Local media have reported that some politicians and their supporters have been accused of distributing pamphlets, or cheat sheets, which provide suggestions on who to vote for. Just days ahead of the election, the National Electoral Institute (INE) – which is organizing the vote – said it was investigating two complaints related to the use of such pamphlets. 'The law is very clear about who cannot intervene in this – neither governments of any level nor political parties,' INE adviser Claudia Zavala said in an interview with Milenio TV. CNN has reached out to Zavala for more information. Another concern is that political parties could theoretically have a say in which candidates are nominated in the first place. If a single party holds sway over the three branches of government, which oversee the candidates' nomination process, that party could influence who gets on the ballot. 'Right now, numerically, who holds the most influence over these branches of government – executive and legislative, specifically – would be the Morena party,' said Stephanie Brewer, director for Mexico at the Washington Office on Latin America. There's similar apprehension about the new Judicial Disciplinary Tribunal that's meant to supervise judges in office. Brewer says that if political actors manage to influence it, they could subsequently exert pressure on the judges it oversees. One of the biggest concerns rights groups are warning about is that elections could also be influenced by criminal groups. In previous races, Mexican cartels have used violence to impact the outcome of a vote – often by attacking or assassinating candidates they oppose. Last year, the country saw a record number of victims from political-criminal violence, with Data Cívica, a human rights organization, reporting 661 attacks on people and facilities. Many of the victims either held or were running for municipal-level positions. This year, the think tank México Evalúa warned that eight states have a high risk of political-criminal violence in the upcoming judicial elections, saying that it is 'highly likely that, through violence, organized crime will seek to seize judicial powers, especially at the local level.' Several political attacks have been recorded in the lead-up to the elections, though most of them involved candidates in mayoral races. Miguel Meza of the rights groups Defensorxs says he has not yet seen any attacks against judicial candidates, but that other risks remain. 'Cartels (could) identify possible winners and offer them support in exchange for loyalty,' he said, noting that such actions have happened before, and although they haven't seen it in this election, 'in others, it could intensify.' Defensorxs has also raised questions about some judicial candidates. While many have extensive experience in the judicial field, Defensorxs has determined that some are 'linked to organized crime, sexual offenses, political-religious sects, and other irregularities.' One of them served nearly six years in a US prison on drug offenses, after being accused of smuggling over 4 kilograms of methamphetamines, according to Reuters. That candidate said on Facebook that he faced an 'unjust' judicial process and has 'moved on.' Another candidate was a defense attorney who joined the team that represented drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman in 2016, a decision she has defended by telling the AP, 'Everyone has a right to an effective defense.' Meza said his group has filed complaints to INE against some of those candidates but was told that electoral authorities couldn't invalidate their candidacy at this point. If one of them ends up winning an election, Meza said, the group was told it could try to challenge the victory with the electoral tribunal. CNN has reached out to INE for more information. A poll by Pew Research Center found that most Mexicans approve of the judicial reform. Although the policy sparked protests in September when Congress was voting on it, 66% of people surveyed earlier this year said they backed it, with approval being higher among Morena supporters and younger adults. Still, the judicial election faces heavy criticism from opposition groups. Former President Vicente Fox of the PAN party has urged people not to vote on Sunday. 'The judicial election is not democratic. It's a farce, it's a hoax … Don't go. Don't waste your time,' he said on X. Several civil organizations and opposition figures have indicated that they will boycott Sunday's vote, and some have called for a nationwide protest on election day. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has pushed back against those calls, urging Mexicans to participate in the electoral process and decide who will make up the judiciary. 'It's better for millions of people to vote than for the president and the Senate of the Republic to decide,' she said.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Toluca holds America to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Mexican Clausura final
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Top-seeded Toluca salvaged a 0-0 draw against defending champion America on Thursday in the first leg of the Mexican Clausura championship series. The Aguilas, who finished with the second-best record in the regular season, had the best scoring chances but missed a couple of clear opportunities. 'It was an evenly played match. Toluca came to defend pretty strong. We proposed it, but did not know how to finish our plays,' Aguilas coach Andre Jardine said. 'It is a wide-open series. I think the second leg will be a different kind of match.' The return leg will be played next Sunday at Toluca, a city located 66 kilometers (around 40 miles) from the nation's capital. America, which reached the final after knocking out crosstown rival Cruz Azul in a rematch of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals, is aiming to become the second team to win four straight championships in Mexico. Only Chivas, from 1958 until 1962, has won four titles in a row, although with a different format. Toluca, which is third on the all-time list of champions in Mexico with 11 titles, is trying to end a 15-year drought. The last time Toluca won a title was in the Clausura 2010 tournament. Since then, the team has qualified for three finals and lost them all. 'We played a great match on the defensive side. We need to rest knowing that the second leg is going to be as intense as this one,' Toluca coach Antonio Mohamed said. 'We know what type of opponent we are facing and it's going to be much harder than today.' After the domestic final, America is set to face the LAFC in Los Angeles on May 31 in a qualification playoff for the last spot in the Club World Cup. ___ AP soccer:
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Clues emerge after mayor's aides murdered in rush-hour shooting on street in Mexico City
Two female lawmakers killed days apart in Mexico following election of first woman president The murders of two Mexico City officials, in a rush-hour shooting on a busy avenue, were meticulously planned by experienced gunmen, prosecutors said Wednesday, as more details emerged of the worst attack against public officials in the capital in recent years. At least four people were involved in the killing of the personal secretary and a close adviser of Mexico City's Mayor Clara Brugada, the capital's police chief said Wednesday. Pablo Vázquez Camacho said investigators had identified and found a motorcycle and two other vehicles used in the escape of the gunman who killed the two officials Tuesday morning as they traveled in a vehicle along a busy thoroughfare. Brugada's personal secretary, Ximena Guzmán, and an adviser, José Muñoz, were shot dead in Guzmán's car, authorities said. Mexico City chief prosecutor Bertha Alcalde Luján said the gunman had fled on a motorcycle that was hidden nearby and then changed vehicles twice as he and others fled into neighboring Mexico State. Clothes were recovered in the vehicles and were being analyzed, but investigators could not yet offer a possible motive, the prosecutor said. She said Guzmán was shot eight times and Muñoz four times. A framed image of Ximena Guzmán, the personal secretary to Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada who was murdered a day earlier, adorns an altar during a wake at a funeral home in Mexico City, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Marco Ugarte / AP Alcalde said that given the circumstances, investigators believe "it was a direct attack and with an important degree of planning and those who killed them had previous experience." One suspect was seen carrying out surveillance of the victims in the area of the attack in preceding days, she added. Still, she said investigators could not yet propose a motive or say who was behind the killings. "We cannot conclude that this is tied to organized crime, much less speak now of a particular organized crime group," Alcalde said. Both officials said Wednesday that investigators had detected the presence of an individual at the site of the attacks days before they occurred, which would suggest knowledge of the victims' routines. The attack, which happened at around 7 a.m., left four bullet holes clustered on the driver's side of the windshield. One body lay on the pavement. Vázquez Camacho said that neither Guzmán nor Muñoz had any special security measures, but both had received training about protecting themselves. "They are people who worked very closely with the people ... and they did their work without fear," he said. President Claudia Sheinbaum, who is an ally of Brugada and a former mayor of Mexico City before winning the presidency last year, had declined to speculate on the possible involvement of organized crime during her press briefing earlier Wednesday. Passersby describe "trauma" At the scene of the attack Wednesday morning, hundreds of commuters passed with most oblivious to what had occurred a day earlier. Some, however, noticed the handwritten signs with messages of remembrance to the two victims and flowers and candles left on the sidewalk. University student Loretta García Oriz said she had passed the site Tuesday when Guzmán and Muñoz's bodies were still at the scene. "Passing here gives me the same trauma," she said Wednesday. Police officers stand guard near the crime scene of the killing of Jose Munoz and Ximena Guzman in Mexico city on May 20, 2025. VALENTINA ALPIDE/AFP via Getty Images Oscar Sánchez's taco stand isn't far from the crime scene, but said Wednesday he didn't know what had happened until another vendor told him and police began to set up a perimeter. The attack showed that it doesn't matter if you're an official or an average person, he said. "It's all the same." Pablo Vazquez, the city's police chief, said that in recent weeks authorities had made "very significant arrests of leaders of criminal cells" in the capital. "These arrests will continue, and the dismantling of criminal cells will continue," he told reporters. Mexico City's mayor is considered second in political importance only to the president. The mayor's office has long been a stepping stone to the presidency, something true for Sheinbaum and her predecessor. But for years, the idea has prevailed of Mexico City as a relatively peaceful oasis protected from the brutal drug cartel violence prevalent in other parts of the country. There has always been street crime, but the cartels, while present, maintained a lower profile in the capital. That illusion was partially dashed in 2020 with the brazen ambush of Mexico City's then police chief on another central boulevard. Omar García Harfuch was wounded, but two bodyguards and a bystander were killed in the attack involving more than 20 people and heavy weaponry. García Harfuch, who is now Sheinbaum's national security minister, immediately blamed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel for the attack. There had not been another such attack on public officials in the capital since then. But politicians and their supporters are frequently targeted elsewhere in Mexico. Earlier this month, a mayoral candidate and three other people were shot dead at a campaign event in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz. Like Mexico City's mayor, Yesenia Lara was a member of President Sheinbaum's Morena party. In April, Jose Luis Pereira, a senior member of the Teocaltiche city government, was shot and killed while dining at a restaurant in Jalisco. In December 2024, a Mexican congressman who was a member of the ruling coalition was shot dead in Veracruz. Two female politicians were targeted soon after Sheinbaum took office. In June 2024, a local councilwoman was gunned down as she was leaving her home in Guerrero. Her murder came a few days after the mayor of a town in western Mexico and her bodyguard were killed outside of a gym, just hours after Sheinbaum was elected president. Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.
