**Judicial Reform Approved by Deputies; ‘Does Not Affect Commercial Relations or Private Investments’: Sheinbaum**
In a significant move early on September 4, 2024, the LXVI Legislature of the Chamber of Deputies of the Union Congress approved, in general terms, the constitutional reform of the Federal Judiciary (PJF). The session took place in Magdalena Mixhuca, Iztacalco, and saw 359 votes in favor from the Morena, Green Ecologist Party (PVEM), and the Labor Party (PT), while 135 votes against were from members of the National Action Party (PAN), Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Citizens’ Movement, and Democratic Revolution Party (PRD).
The discussion, which continued with over 610 reservations from the opposition, will next move to the Senate for further deliberation. If passed through the Senate, it will be forwarded to the President for publication in the official gazette.
Tensions ran high during the proceedings. Opposition deputies questioned the legalities of the session, alleging a lack of quorum. However, Sergio Carlos Gutiérrez Luna, President of the Chamber of Deputies, refused to verify the quorum count, asserting instead that quorum was achieved.
PAN deputies called for resistance, while others displayed t-shirts and banners opposing the reform. Ricardo Monreal Ávila, Morena’s coordinator in the lower house defended the reform, claiming it would not infringe on workers’ rights and would enhance Mexico’s judicial system globally. He also accused the opposition of maintaining a “dictatorship of the gown and cap.”
Earlier, numerous law students protested near the session’s location, chanting slogans against the reform. This protest highlighted frustrations over perceived neglect of public opinion by the current legislative process.
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo interrupted her vacation to defend the reform, insisting that it wouldn’t harm Mexico’s commercial relations or private investments. She reiterated her stance on social media, emphasizing the reform’s intention to build a more democratic and just system.
Meanwhile, Patricia Aguayo Bernal, speaking for the Federal Judiciary’s base workers, urged Sheinbaum to engage in dialogue to prevent conflicts upon the start of her presidency.
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**Related News: Concerns Over Potential Negative Impact on US Relations**
In a parallel development, the US Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, voiced his concerns about the potential fallout from the judicial reform if not properly implemented. According to Salazar, a flawed reform could harm the diplomatic and economic relationship between Mexico and the United States.
This perspective has added another layer to the ongoing debate in Mexico, emphasizing the international repercussions and the need for a carefully calibrated approach to judicial reforms that satisfy both domestic and foreign interests.