Several hundred protesters invaded the Mexican Senate to protest against the reform of the judiciary wanted by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Senate President Gerardo Fernandez Noroña (presidential majority) adjourned the session and announced that the session would be relocated.
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“ Senators, Stop the Dictator “, ” the judiciary will not fall “… Hundreds of people stormed the Mexican Senate shouting slogans hostile to the explosive justice reform currently being studied by senators.
The demonstrators, made up largely of striking court officials and law students, are protesting against the reforms launched by the president.Andres Manuel Lopez ObradorThey denounce a bill that would make Mexico the first country in the world to appoint all its judges by a ” popular vote “, including those of the Supreme Court. Opponents believe it will weaken the independence of judges and make them vulnerable to pressure from organized crime.
An “outrage to the Republic and to democracy” »
With their action, the protesters in any case overcame the session that was taking place inside the Senate because after crossing the security barriers, they forced the president of the Senate Gerardo Fernandez Noroña to adjourn the session. Shortly after, he announced that the session would only be relocated before hammering home that ” There will be a reform of the judiciary “.
The opposition parties, the PAN, the PRI and the Citizens’ Movement, have said they will vote against it. We have said it before and we will say it again: we will fight to the end to prevent this outrage to the Republic and to democracy. ” wrote Citizen Movement Senator Alejandra Barrales. Dismantling the justice system is not the way forward “, warned Supreme Court President Norma Piña, in a video posted on social media on Sunday.
” What most worries those who are against this reform is that they will lose their privileges, because the judiciary is at the service of the powerful (…) and white-collar crime. “, retorted Mr. Lopez Obrador, whose popularity is around 70%.
This is not the first time that protests against this reform have interrupted a parliamentary session. The reform was already adopted last week by deputies in a gymnasium, under basketball hoops, after the Lower House was blocked by protesters.