Mexico federal judges group votes to end strike, keep protesting

Jose Orozco, Bloomberg News on Oct 12, 2024

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A Mexican federal judges association voted to end a nearly two-month strike, resuming activities on Oct. 16, as it continues to protest against former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s judicial reform.

Members of JUFED, as the group is known, voted 684 to 572 to return to work but maintain some protest actions, according to a statement dated Friday. The group said formal talks were needed where concrete actions can be taken on its demands.

The reform calls for around half of Mexico’s judges — including those on the Supreme Court — to run for election in June 2025, with the rest in 2027. Critics including the U.S., investors and companies say the popular election of judges will erode checks on the ruling Morena party’s power and undermine democracy.

All judges are committed to “the defense of our human rights, separation of powers and the strengthening of the rule of law,” JUFED’s national directors said in the Oct. 11 statement. The group called on Mexico’s Supreme Court to protect “fundamental rights” when it rules on the judicial reform.

The judicial system’s resumption of activities remains in doubt, however, because the vast majority of its employees appeared likely to maintain the strike, the Reforma newspaper reported. Jorge Alejandro Perez Luna, a spokesman for workers in 32 judicial circuits, said on Friday that the suspension of activities would continue, according to Reforma.

Mexico’s judicial council, which administers the system, on Wednesday rejected appeals against the reform and ordered the delivery of judge lists to the Senate in order to call the 2025 elections, Reforma reported separately.

Congress passed the judicial overhaul last month. President Claudia Sheinbaum has said that nothing can stop the overhaul because it was a decision the people of Mexico made by voting for her.

(Alex Vasquez contributed to this report.)