Mexico's controversial judicial elections face possible delay
Electoral authority requests 90-day delay due to legal appeals
Judicial reform raises concerns from investors, U.S., and Canada
Senate to consider delay request; may need constitutional reform
MEXICO CITY, Nov 21 (Reuters) -Mexico's first round of elections of judges by popular vote, the product of a contentious constitutional overhaul passed in September, could be pushed back by around three months if the Senate accepts a request by the electoral authority to postpone them, the electoral body's head said on Thursday.
The country's first judicial elections have been scheduled for June 1 of next year, but the National Electoral Institute (INE) is asking for more funds to hold them and the government is still urging candidates to register to run ahead of the Sunday deadline.
INE head Guadalupe Taddei sad in an interview with local station Radio Formula on Thursday that the electoral authority was requesting a 90-day delay in the elections because legal appeals against the reform had eaten up that time.
The judicial reform, pushed through Congress in September by the ruling Morena party and its allies, has raised concern from investors and neighboring countries such as the U.S. and Canada. The government claims popular election will eliminate corruption in the judiciary.
If the Senate does not accept the INE's petition to delay the elections, the INE will need to "tighten its timeline," Taddei said.
The Senate is set to consider the request later on Thursday, the chamber's leader, Gerardo Fernandez Norona, said, though he cautioned that "the ideal" would be to hold the elections next June.
If that is not possible, another constitutional reform could be necessary, he said.
The government is hoping that around 5,400 people register to run in the elections ahead of the looming deadline, said presidential adviser Arturo Zaldivar, a former Supreme Court justice. As of Tuesday afternoon, 3,145 had signed up.
Of those who throw their hat into the ring, just 1,793 will be chosen by lottery to run for the nearly 900 posts coming open, according to Zaldivar.
Reporting by Raul Cortes; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Sandra Maler
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
