Historic Judge Swearing-In in 12 Mexican States

Judges and magistrates in 12 of Mexico's 19 states that held extraordinary elections this past June 1st, a result of the Judicial Reform, are assuming their posts today. Inauguration ceremonies for judges and magistrates are being held in Baja California, Chihuahua, Mexico City, Colima, Nayarit, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tabasco, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, and Yucatán.

The Sonora State Congress will conduct the official swearing-in ceremony for the new members of the Judicial Power during an ordinary session held at the Legislative Power's chamber in Hermosillo. In Chihuahua, more than 300 judicial officials are set to take their oath of office. Attendance of over one thousand people, including judicial officials and authorities, is expected, prompting the Chihuahua State Congress to move the venue from the Legislative Power to the Convention Center. The swearing-in of the new Congressional Board of Directors is also scheduled to take place today, possibly before the judges' ceremony.

In Veracruz, 98 judicial officials will be sworn in at the Legislative Power's chamber; in San Luis Potosí, the number is 87; and in Tlaxcala, 36 will assume their positions.

Tlaxcala Governor Lorena Cuéllar Cisneros highlighted that the popular election of judges represents a "watershed" in the democratic history of Tlaxcala. She emphasized that the legitimacy conferred by the citizen vote implies a greater responsibility for those elected, as the public trusts they will act with integrity and commitment. Furthermore, she stated that the direct election of judges by the people of Tlaxcala not only strengthens the democratic legitimacy of the courts but also opens the door to a justice system more attuned to the needs of the community.

In Veracruz, lawyers pointed out that while the Constitutional reform gave citizens the opportunity to elect magistrates and judges, the underlying system of the Veracruz Judicial Power remains the same. This, they argue, creates the possibility that the true administration of justice may not be guaranteed.

"The titleholder and the method of selecting the titleholder have changed, but not the entire apparatus that comes with it," explained civil law specialist attorney Víctor Adrián Galindo García. He suggested that a significant portion of the caseload being left to the new magistrates and judges involves cases that were previously avoided because they involved confrontation.

Of the 19 states that elected local judicial officials this year, three—Coahuila, Durango, and Aguascalientes—have already held their inauguration ceremonies. The four remaining states—México, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas—are scheduled to hold their swearing-in ceremonies between September 5th and September 30th.