Protesters Storm Mexican Senate Amid Controversial Judicial Reform Debate

protesters attempted to break into Mexico’s Senate on Tuesday as lawmakers weighed a contentious plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary

Hundreds of protesters stormed Mexico’s Senate on Tuesday, halting proceedings as lawmakers debated a contentious proposal to overhaul the judiciary. The disruption forced the Senate into a temporary recess for safety concerns, as tensions around the reform, championed by outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, reached new heights.

The ruling Morena party secured enough votes to push the proposal forward earlier in the day, following a defection from an opposition senator. This political maneuvering further fueled public anger, particularly among judicial employees and law students who have been protesting for weeks. Critics warn that the plan to elect all judges threatens judicial independence and could undermine Mexico’s system of checks and balances.

Protesters stand alongside opposition Senators after interrupting a debate over the government’s proposed judicial reform, which would make judges stand for election, in Mexico City, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Protesters broke into the Senate chambers, using pipes and chains to force entry. Chanting “The judiciary isn’t going to fall,” they were joined by opposition senators in an effort to prevent the vote. Some outside roared as news spread of the Senate’s recess.

Alejandro Navarrete, a judicial worker, carried a Mexican flag while criticizing lawmakers for, as he saw it, selling out the nation. “We didn’t intend to hurt anyone, but we wanted to make it clear that the Mexican people won’t allow this to lead us into a dictatorship,” he said.

The judicial reform, which sailed through Mexico’s lower house last week, faced significant opposition in the Senate, where Morena lacked the supermajority needed. However, the defection of PAN senator Miguel Ángel Yunes Linares, who replaced his son amid swirling allegations of political deals, has seemingly secured the final vote Morena needs.

Protesters attempt to break into a room in the Senate as lawmakers weigh the government’s proposed judicial reform, which would make judges stand for election, in Mexico City, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Yunes Linares acknowledged the reform’s flaws but argued that future legislation could address them. His vote was met with applause from Morena senators and accusations of betrayal from his own party.

Despite widespread criticism from within Mexico and abroad, López Obrador claims the reform will combat corruption by making it easier to remove compromised judges. Critics, however, fear the proposal would allow political interference in the judiciary, stacking courts with loyalists to the ruling party.

The reform’s implications have alarmed investors and international observers. U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar labeled the plan a “risk” to democracy and an economic threat.

As protesters clashed with police outside, Supreme Court Chief Justice Norma Piña urged the Senate to listen to the voices of dissent and called for peaceful dialogue as a path forward.