Latest news with #eleccionesJudiciales
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Election observers at the OAS voice serious concerns about Mexico's contentious judicial elections
MEXICO CITY — Electoral watchdogs at the Organization of American States expressed concern Friday over the low turnout in Mexico's historic and contentious judicial elections , recommending that countries in the Americas not follow its path. In a report, the electoral mission said the June 1 election was 'extremely complex' and 'polarizing,' and was marked by a 'widespread lack of awareness' among voters about what they were voting for and who the thousands of candidates were. In Sunday's vote, Mexicans elected 881 federal judges and another 1,800 state judges as part of a complete overhaul of the judiciary. The process was carried out following a constitutional reform approved last year by a Congress with a ruling-party majority. The overhaul fueled protests and criticism within Mexico and by the American and Canadian governments, which warned of a potential loss of judicial independence and the politicization of justice in Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her mentor and architect of the overhaul, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador claimed they want to root out corruption in the judiciary, which most Mexicans agree is broken. Mexico's electoral authority said this week that voter turnout was 13%, significantly lower than the 60% turnout in last year's general elections. In the Friday report, the OAS mission — led by former Chilean Foreign Minister Heraldo Muñoz Valenzuela — expressed concern over 'the low level of citizen participation' and noted that 'this is one of the lowest turnout levels in the region.' Observers also pointed to the 'high percentage' of null and unmarked ballots, which exceeded 10%. 'It's necessary to carry out a comprehensive reflection on the nature of the (electoral) process and how it was conducted,' the report concluded. The OAS's 16-member observation mission also raised concerns about the nine candidates elected to join Mexico's Supreme Court who 'were promoted in physical and digital 'cheat sheets.'' While parties were not allowed to advocate for candidates, pamphlets known as 'accordions' guiding voters on which candidates to vote for were widely distributed. Mexican electoral authorities investigated complaints against the ruling Morena party and other opposition groups that distributed the voter guides in communities across the capital and other cities in the weeks leading up to the vote. The agency also ordered that a website featuring a digital cheat sheet with Morena-aligned candidates for the Supreme Court and other top tribunals be taken down. OAS observers also noted that six of the nine candidates elected to the high court had been nominated by the government controlled by Morena, and the remaining three were justices appointed by López Obrador, 'which raises reasonable doubts about the autonomy and independence of the highest court in relation to the Executive.' Given the findings, the mission concluded that 'it does not recommend this model of judge selection be replicated in other countries in the region.' Despite the criticism, Sheinbaum praised the election this week, calling it a success.
CNN
03-06-2025
- Business
- CNN
Mexican president hails first judicial election a ‘complete success' after just 13% turnout
Around 13% of Mexicans likely turned out to vote in the country's first-ever judicial election, Mexico's INE electoral authority said on Monday, as the government hailed a successful process while analysts said the low turnout could undermine an already controversial reform. President Claudia Sheinbaum estimated that some 13 million of around 100 million eligible voters cast ballots on Sunday to elect some 2,600 judges and magistrates, including all nine Supreme Court justices. Counting is set to conclude on June 15, but INE officials estimated the turnout at between 12.57% and 13.32% using a calculation based on several samples taken across the country. Sheinbaum called the process a 'complete success,' citing a free vote and a frugal campaign at a morning press conference. 'Everything can be perfected. We will draw conclusions from yesterday to make improvements for 2027,' she said, pointing to another vote in two years that is scheduled to fill over 1,000 more judicial positions. Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez said that 'the voting took place in a climate of peace and tranquility across the length and breadth of the country.' 'Yesterday's turnout at the polls met expectations,' she said. 'It was an innovative process that generated interest among the participants.' Voting in Mexico is not mandatory and there is no minimum turnout required to legitimize an election. Pollsters had warned of poor turnout over boycott calls by the opposition and the complexity of voting for a large number of candidates. Goldman Sachs' chief Latin America economist, Alberto Ramos, said in a note that the low turnout took away from the process' legitimacy, and that the pre-selection process and logistical organization were 'fraught with controversy.' 'The vast majority of the roughly 3,400 candidates were largely unknown, many have limited legal experience and some questionable credentials for the seats they are seeking,' he said. Bradesco analyst Rodolfo Ramos said he thought the turnout was surprisingly low, 'considering Sheinbaum's high approval rating and the fact that the majority of Mexicans were in favor of directly voting for judges.' Sheinbaum, who inherited the judicial election project from her predecessor and mentor, former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has backed the vote as a way to democratize justice and root out corruption and nepotism. However, critics say it could remove checks and balances on the executive power and allow for organized crime groups to wield greater influence by running their own candidates. The run-up to the vote had been dominated by a scandal over some of the candidates, including a convicted drug smuggler and a former lawyer of drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman. Late on Sunday, Mexico's Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Electoral Crimes said it had received 23 reports of possible electoral crimes related to the elections of nearly 900 positions at the federal-level judiciary.
Reuters
02-06-2025
- General
- Reuters
Mexico's judicial election turnout likely around 13%, electoral authority says
MEXICO CITY, June 2 (Reuters) - Mexico's INE electoral authority said on Monday that turnout for Sunday's judicial election was likely between 12.57% and 13.32%, adding that thousands of official across the country are working to "give certainty" to the votes citizens cast in the ballot. Counting is set to conclude on June 15, but INE officials estimated the turnout using a calculation based on several samples across the country. Mexicans had a day earlier voted in the country's first ever judicial elections to elect 2,600 judges and magistrates, including all Supreme Court justices, but pollsters had warned of poor turnout over boycott calls by the opposition and the complexity of voting for a large number of candidates.
