Mexico is poised to amend its constitution this weekend to require all judges to be elected as part of a judicial overhaul championed by the outgoing president but slammed by critics as a blow to the country’s rule of law.
The idea that judges shouldn't be elected is deeply rooted in the reactionary ideology of an aristocracy that believed the masses shouldn't be trusted with any decisions that actually matter and should be regarded with suspicion instead of trusted with decisions.
What? Democratically appointed judges? That’s amazing , wonder why the US hasn’t thought of this? Ohh right that’s because we give way too much power to the one in office. This is great for Mexico now the US needs to do this.
The civilians won't pick the candidates, the state will (different parts of it, but all of them under the control of Morena) and then they'll use the civilians to vote for them and then frame it as if it was the will of the people. You know, populism.
Also the narcos are REALLY happy about this change, because the candidates are going to need money to campaign and they could always use a hand in higher places (even if the president protects the narcos already).
It doesn't touch the police problem at all or the security problem, but it allows Morena to fill the magistrate with their people regardless of their studies, they can even put criminals in there (search for the history of any Morena member, they have murderers, thiefs, pedos and rapists).
Now tell me... What does this change fix? Besides "now people can vote for Morenas picks!".
If there are education and experience requirements imposed on judicial candidates, and then they are elected, this is not an issue. Because those who are elected are accountable to those who elected them
(provided they can be removed from.power by the same people, which is one of those "checks and balances" Western "democracies " have imposed so we can't remove them).
That way you have professionals/experts who are accountable to the people. Obviously elections can always be tampered with and influenced by powerful and moneyed interests, but by assuming this is true and then making it the default is a bit daft tbh.
The very same reaction to the amend shows how urgent it is to to change the judicial system. I'm glad this was done and I can't wait to vote corrupt judges out of office.
Strong and diverse press, strong and enforced rules against politically motivated decisions. A judge should know that, if they don't strictly follow the law, they'll lose their job. This won't make the thing perfect, but far better than officially political judges.
There is no such thing as an apolitical judge. The judges you see as apolitical are just centrists supporting the status quo, but that is not actually an apolitical frame of action.