The reform of Mexico’s judiciary: attack on the Constitution or act of sovereignty?

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to shed light on the objectives and, above all, the causes behind the reform of the Mexican judiciary, which has stirred considerable controversy in specialized legal media in both Mexico and Brazil. We will seek to demonstrate that the confrontation with the judiciary is far from a mere act of will by the Mexican executive branch and instead reflects the unfolding of Mexico’s political conflict, which is growing increasingly intense. To this end, we will briefly revisit the recent political context that brought the National Regeneration Movement, led by López Obrador, to power; outline the clashes that characterized the offensives and counterattacks during the reform's approval process; and conclude with some reflections on Mexico’s current position on the Latin American chessboard.