QR Congress Swiftly Passes Reforms for State Judges Election

In a swift decision, the 18th Legislature of the QR Congress approved a decree to reform various provisions of the state Constitution. The vote, which saw 18 in favor and 2 against, was made in order to align the state Constitution with a recent judicial reform. This reform aims to establish a popular election for state magistrates and judges.

The decree, proposed by Governor Mara Lezama, was presented and approved as urgent during the first session of the Second Extraordinary Period of Sessions. The proposal seeks to make several changes to the Organic Law, with the aim of strengthening the state judicial system. This is to bring it in line with the constitutional reforms on this matter, which were approved by the Union Congress in September of the previous year.

The proposal, read at the legislative venue, states that the call to elect magistrates and local first instance judges will be issued within 30 days following the entry into force of these modifications. It also specifies that current judges and the nine magistrates, who have already been ratified for a second term, will be added to the candidate lists. These individuals will be submitted for election by popular vote, unless they opt out of this process.

In the same session, the decree issuing the Organic Law of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office in Combat against Corruption of the State was unanimously approved. This measure was also proposed by the governor.

Additionally, the legislators approved an initiative presented by Deputy Jorge Arturo Sanén Cervantes, president of the Commission of Constitutional Points. This initiative declares 2025 as the year of the 50th anniversary of the Political Constitution of the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo.