International
The reform of the Judiciary in Mexico is declared constitutional and awaits officialization
The Congress of Mexico declared constitutional the reform of the Judiciary proposed by the Government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, which promotes the election of judges by popular vote, and only remains its publication in the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF) for its entry into force.
The declaration of constitutionality was first announced in the Mexican Senate and then in the Chamber of Deputies, in both cases in a few minutes, with the approval of the official ‘supermajorities’ in both chambers and the support of 23 local legislatures from 32 states.
Promulgation of the reform
“In order to comply with Article 135 of the Constitution (…) and once the 23 approval votes of the legislatures of the states have been counted, the Chamber of Senators declares approved the decree by which various provisions of the Mexican Constitution are reformed, added and repeals regarding the Judiciary,” he declared before the president of the Board of Directors of the Senate, Gerardo Fernández Noroña.
In the same sense, the president of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Deputies, Sergio Gutiérrez Luna, expressed himself.
Both acts were not attended by the opposition, after the refusal to reform, which they have qualified as a setback for democracy and judicial independence, as well as for the balance of power and the possible intrusion of “interest groups.”
This was announced by the parliamentary coordinators in both Houses of Congress of the opponents National Action (PAN), Institutional Revolutionary (PRI) and Citizen Movement (MC) who expressed that the action of constitutionality “is an exclusive party” of the ruling party, as well as the “consummated robbery of the nation.”
The action is parallel to the attempts by workers of the Judiciary of the Federation (PJF) and at least 1,200 judges in the country to stop this reform by resorting to national and international bodies.
Multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR); business organizations such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); rating agencies such as Fitch and Moody’s, as well as the US government have warned repercussions for Mexico for this reform, including panels and arbitrations within the framework of trade treaties such as the T-MEC.
Judicial remedies
On the date, a Mexican judge from the state of Colima ordered a suspension to stop the promulgation of the aforementioned reform in the DOF, despite the fact that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the main promoter of the reform, announced that it would be made official next Sunday, September 15, when Independence Day is commemorated in the country.
Later, Senator Ernestina Godoy, future legal advisor in the Government of Claudia Sheinbaum, pointed out that such protection is inappropriate to prevent the reform from being published in the DOF.
“They forget that there are no challenges against constitutional reform,” Godoy said.
So far, the judicial reform has more than 17 votes for local legislatures required by the Mexican Constitution to declare itself constitutional and be referred to the head of the Executive, López Obrador, for its officialization and entry into force.
The states that have already said yes
The legislatures that have already given their endorsement are those of the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Colima, Durango, Guerrero, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas and the capital Mexico City.
Meanwhile, it was rejected in the local congresses of Jalisco and Querétaro.
Once the declaration of constitutionality has been made by the Chamber of Deputies, President López Obrador will be processed for its official publication and subsequent entry into force.
International
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has once again appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene on his behalf and seek his transfer from the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a sentence of more than 50 years in the United States after being convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to reports, the latest request was made in a letter dated June 2, one of several messages that Guzmán has reportedly sent to Sheinbaum in recent months in an effort to secure his repatriation. In the letter, he expresses hope that the Mexican government can support the efforts of his legal team.
Written in English and by hand, the letter asks that he be allowed to complete his sentence in Mexico, arguing that such a transfer would enable him to receive visits from family members more easily.
Guzmán is currently being held at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
As in previous communications, the former cartel leader complained about his prison conditions, stating that he remains in near-total isolation and has little to no contact with other inmates.
He also reiterated his long-standing claim that he did not receive a fair trial in the United States and argued that the Mexican government bears responsibility for much of the violence associated with organized crime in the country.
In the letter, Guzmán maintains that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect himself and his family amid the violence linked to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Mexican authorities have not publicly indicated whether they plan to respond to the request. Guzmán remains one of the most notorious figures in the history of international drug trafficking and is serving his sentence under some of the strictest security measures in the U.S. prison system.
Central America
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday criminal charges against three Guatemalan citizens accused of using false information to sponsor migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or guardian.
According to an indictment filed in Ohio, Maritza Cahuec Coc allegedly submitted at least 12 sponsorship applications, several of which were filed under aliases or contained materially false statements intended to secure custody of the minors.
Under U.S. procedures, unaccompanied migrant children apprehended at the southern border are placed in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for their care until they can be released to a qualified sponsor, such as a parent or relative living in the United States.
Prosecutors allege that Cahuec Coc, who reportedly entered the United States illegally in 2018, received payments between late 2020 and 2023 for helping bring 12 migrant minors into the country. Authorities claim she submitted fraudulent documents and misleading information to obtain approval for the sponsorship requests.
The case was announced during a joint press conference led by Acting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. However, officials provided limited details about the investigation and instead focused much of their remarks on criticizing immigration policies implemented under the previous administration.
Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials have frequently pointed to the increase in unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border during President Joe Biden’s term, arguing that the government failed to adequately oversee their care and placement.
During Thursday’s briefing, A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, alleged that Cahuec Coc used the identities of other individuals and falsely claimed family relationships in order to obtain custody of the children.
“Maritza submitted sponsorship applications using other people’s identities and falsely represented that the minors were the children of close relatives in order to secure their release,” Duva said.
The case remains under investigation, and federal authorities have not yet disclosed additional information regarding the other two Guatemalan nationals charged in connection with the alleged scheme.
International
Iván Cepeda Open to Revising Colombia’s Peace Policy Ahead of Runoff Election
Colombian presidential candidate Iván Cepeda said Thursday that he is willing to introduce “necessary changes” to the peace policy implemented by President Gustavo Petro, a strategy he helped design and promote during the current administration.
The future of Petro’s controversial “Total Peace” initiative has become one of the central issues in Colombia’s presidential runoff election, scheduled for June 21, where Cepeda will face right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella.
De la Espriella, who narrowly won the first round of voting on May 31, has campaigned on a platform of tougher security measures and a stronger crackdown on drug trafficking and armed criminal groups.
Speaking to AFP in Bogotá, Cepeda acknowledged that adjustments to the peace strategy may be required after Petro’s efforts to negotiate with armed organizations failed to produce the expected results amid a surge in violence across the country.
“We are going to make the necessary changes, of course. We will conduct an assessment,” the 63-year-old senator said during the interview, held ten days before the decisive runoff vote.
Cepeda, a philosopher and longtime human rights advocate, explained that any modifications to the policy would emerge from a broad national dialogue involving political leaders, social organizations and other sectors of Colombian society. However, he did not provide specific details about the proposed changes.
President Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” initiative sought to negotiate agreements with guerrilla movements, paramilitary groups and major criminal organizations, including the powerful Clan del Golfo cartel and the National Liberation Army (ELN).
The policy aimed to reduce violence through dialogue and negotiated settlements, but critics argue that it failed to significantly weaken armed groups or improve security conditions in several regions of the country.
As the runoff campaign enters its final stage, the future direction of Colombia’s security and peace policies remains one of the most closely watched issues in the election.
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Energy chief says U.S. will restore Gulf oil shipments and refill strategic reserves
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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