Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo celebrated the success of the country’s first-ever democratic election of the Judicial Branch, highlighting that nearly 13 million citizens freely participated—more than the votes received by each opposition party in the 2024 general elections. She called the day “unprecedented, impressive, marvelous, and democratic.”
During her morning press conference, Sheinbaum noted that in 2024, the PAN received 9.6 million votes, the PRI 5.7 million, and the Citizen Movement party 6.2 million. In contrast, turnout in the judicial vote clearly exceeded individual support for these parties. She also pointed out that participation was twice that of the 2021 public consultation on prosecuting former presidents.
“They thought no one would vote—but more people voted than those who support them. Mexico is the most democratic country in the world, even if some don’t like it,” Sheinbaum declared. She stressed that the 13 million votes grant a level of legitimacy greater than two-thirds of the Senate.
Sheinbaum emphasized that this vote marks the beginning of a new era of true justice, contrasting it with the current judicial system, which she accused of authorizing 169 changes in pretrial detention for organized crime suspects within eight months, engaging in nepotism, and protecting major tax evaders.
Interior Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez reported that the election proceeded peacefully and securely. A total of 881 federal judicial posts and 1,801 local judicial positions were filled, alongside municipal elections in Durango and Veracruz. She acknowledged the work of institutions like the INE, TEPJF, FGR, and over 522,000 polling staff.
Presidential Legal Counsel Ernestina Godoy recalled that this process stemmed from the reform package introduced by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador on February 5, 2024, leading to the new judicial law passed and published on September 15, 2024. She added that evaluation committees were established, electoral laws were modified, and new organizational statutes were enacted to ensure a legal and transparent process.
