### Judicial Workers Take to the Streets in Protest
**Tijuana, September 3, 2024** – Judicial workers took to the streets in protest against a proposed reform to the judiciary that is currently being discussed in the Federal Congress. The protests come as the ruling party, Morena, holds a qualified majority in the Chamber of Deputies and is just one vote short in the Senate to pass the constitutional modification.
Chanting slogans such as “We are defenders of the Constitution” and “Mexico wake up, dictatorship is at the door,” judicial employees gathered outside the district courts on Paseo de los Héroes, armed with loudspeakers and placards bearing messages like “Being impartial is being threatened” and “Yes to the judicial career, no to popularity.”
Circuit Judge Jorge Salazar Cadena, stationed in Tijuana, expressed a sliver of hope that the constitutional reform might not pass in the upper house. “The truth is that the ballot boxes determine the fate of this reform. We hope that the Senate, considering that Morena does not secure the required qualified majority, will see the opposition senators manage to halt this reform,” he stated.
The protest is part of a larger movement in which around 800 judicial workers in Tijuana have joined a strike. Salazar Cadena noted the lack of support from the official union, positing that the union backs the employers rather than the employees. “The problem in this country is that we have white unions that support the management, creating an apparent division. The workers did not get backing from the official union, but this is a pro-management union. Hence, people have even resigned from the union,” he explained.
The protesters vowed to continue their demonstrations until their demands are met. Salazar Cadena underscored that the reform is politically motivated and poses a threat to the rights of all Mexicans. Additional supporters, including local law associations, joined the protest to provide solidarity, particularly in expectations of counter-protests from students supporting the reform.
### Secondary Article: Coordinated Protests Erupt Nationwide Against Judicial Reform
In addition to the protests in Tijuana, similar demonstrations have sprung up across Mexico as judicial workers nationwide rally against the proposed reforms. Cities such as Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey have seen large gatherings of judicial employees, lawyers, and civil rights activists.
In Mexico City, hundreds of workers marched from the Supreme Court building to the Senate, where deliberations on the reform are ongoing. Many carried banners demanding the protection of judicial independence and warning against the politicization of justice.
The nationwide protests are organized to coincide with the legislative sessions, aiming to influence votes and raise public awareness. Protesters argue that the reform threatens the separation of powers and risks undermining the impartiality of the judiciary.
“Morena’s majority in the chambers should not translate into majoritarian tyranny. We call on the senators to listen to the people and reject this unconstitutional reform,” said Maria Gomez, a spokesperson for the Mexico City judicial workers.
As the Senate vote looms, opposition lawmakers and civil society groups intensify their efforts to halt the reform, citing its long-term implications for Mexico’s democracy and rule of law.