Mexico’s Amparo Law Reform Sparks Rights Debate

Mexico City — The Mexican Senate is set to vote on a reform to the Amparo Law, an initiative sent by President Claudia Sheinbaum on September 15. The proposal seeks to modify access to this legal recourse, with the stated objectives of preventing its misuse and accelerating the administration of justice. The initiative forms part of the government's priority agenda and could advance through both chambers of congress without major resistance. However, lawyers and civil society organizations are warning of potential setbacks in the protection of human rights.

Proposed Changes and Critical Points

Among the most significant modifications is the redefinition of "legitimate interest," which is now proposed to be either individual or collective. The reform also adjusts legal deadlines, acts of execution, and fiscal credits, in addition to eliminating a proposal to charge fines to the public treasury.

Specialists warn that limiting the scope of legitimate interest would affect the capacity of organizations to file amparo lawsuits in defense of collective causes. Cases such as the legal challenges filed by environmentalists against the Tren Maya project could fall outside the scope of the law.

Legislative Debate

During two days of public hearings, experts in constitutional law expressed their concerns. Javier Martín Reyes of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) stated that "without the suspensions, the amparo becomes a fiction."

Senator Adán Augusto López announced the upcoming vote, though his position contradicted other legislators who were promoting open forums.

President Sheinbaum has defended the reform as a tool to prevent abuses, particularly by tax debtors. The debate continues between those seeking judicial efficiency and those defending constitutional guarantees.