## PT Federal Deputies Initiate Political Trial Against SCJN Ministers for ‘Rebellion’
On October 22, 2024, the group of federal deputies from the Partido del Trabajo (PT) in the Mexican Congress announced their intention to initiate a political trial against eight ministers of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN). They accuse these ministers of “disobedience and rebellion” for opposing the reform of the Federal Judicial Power (PJF).
Ricardo Sóstenes MejÃa Berdeja, a PT deputy, announced during a press conference that they would file this political trial request based on various articles of the Mexican Constitution and the Law of Responsibilities of Public Servants. The ministers named in the accusation include Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena, Juan Luis González Alcantará Carrancá, Luis MarÃa Aguilar Morales, Jorge MarÃa Pardo Rebolledo, Margarita RÃos Farjat, Javier Laynez Potisek, Alberto Pérez Dayán, and Norma LucÃa Piña Hernández. However, MejÃa Berdeja excluded other ministers from this approach.
MejÃa Berdeja criticized the targeted ministers, labeling their actions as a “legal war” against the executive and legislative branches. He argued that these ministers neglected principles such as legality, loyalty, impartiality, and efficiency, which he considers grounds for a political trial. Moreover, he accused them of attacking democratic institutions and violating the Mexican Constitution.
The PT legislator also condemned the ministers for undermining constitutional authority, highlighting what he described as an orchestrated campaign against the judicial reform. The political trial request coincides with ongoing judicial and political debates over the reforms initiated by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
In a separate but related development, Minister Juan Luis González Alcántara Carrancá accepted five motions challenging the constitutionality of the judicial reform but denied pausing its implementation. This decision came despite requests from political parties and legislators seeking to halt the reforms, arguing that stopping them might disrupt ongoing electoral processes.
### Further Developments in Mexico’s Judicial Reform
The ongoing debate surrounding Mexico’s judicial reforms gained further complexity on October 8, 2024, when Minister González Alcántara Carrancá admitted a constitutional dispute from the government of Guanajuato against the reform. This marked the first instance of such a controversy challenging constitutional amendments being accepted.
Parties such as the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), the National Action Party (PAN), and the Citizen Movement (MC) have expressed opposition to the reforms, filing motions for unconstitutionality. These actions pertain to changes affecting the structure and functioning of the judiciary, including electoral procedures for selecting judiciary leaders.
The Minister required various governmental bodies, including the Mexican Congress, the Executive, and the national electoral body, to provide documentation and feedback relevant to these actions. This ongoing legal discourse highlights the significant political and legal repercussions of the judicial reform, as both supporters and opponents battle over its future in the Mexican legal landscape.