Reuters World News Judges on the ballot in Mexico
10 snips
May 24, 2025 Cassandra Garrison, a political reporter based in Mexico City, dives into the country's historic judicial elections, where citizens will vote for judges for the first time. She discusses the controversial candidacy of Silvia Delgado, a former defense attorney for drug lord Joaquin Guzman, and the mixed public responses to her campaign. Garrison highlights the challenges of vetting candidates amidst fears of organized crime influence and rampant corruption, raising questions about the integrity of this pivotal transition in Mexico's judiciary.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Silvia Delgado's Controversial Campaign
- Silvia Delgado campaigns in Juarez as a well-known community grandmother and lawyer.
- She represented notorious drug lord El Chapo as a defense attorney, raising local skepticism.
Historic Judicial Elections Begin
- Mexico is holding its first judicial elections with over 5,000 candidates seeking judgeships.
- This historic shift aims to reform the judiciary and involve citizens in judicial selection for the first time.
Electing Judges Sparks Criticism
- President Lopez Obrador claims electing judges will combat corruption and elitism in the judiciary.
- However, the reform faced heavy criticism domestically and from international allies citing risks to the rule of law.