President Andrés Manuel López Obrador pointed out that the judicial branch reforms will put an end to the hijacking of the judiciary. He reiterated that it is currently at the service of a rapacious minority and white-collar crime. «Only with the participation of the people, with democracy […] only in this way will we be able to move forward,» he said.
The reforms to the Judicial Branch seek:
-A new composition of the Supreme Court (SCJN), reducing the number of justices from 11 to 9.
-Citizen election of judges and justices, to renew all positions in 2025.
-Replacement of the Federal Judiciary Council by independent administrative and disciplinary bodies.
-New procedural rules. These include reduction of deadlines to resolve fiscal and criminal matters; prohibiting the granting of suspensions against laws with general effects.
President López Obrador responded to commentator Jorge Castañeda, who questioned whether the president had any relationship with criminal groups. «What I consider most important in my life is my honesty and I have a clear conscience. I will not give up, as long as I am a leader, as a public servant, I will maintain my lofty ideals and principles,» he said.
The President announced that the Grito de Independencia ceremony on September 15, will be the activity with which he will bid adieu to public and political life. On October 1, he will hand over the Presidential Sash in Congress.
In 55 days of operation, the Maya Train has made 345 trips, with 50,976 passengers; 20,456 tickets were sold to local residents. The destinations with the highest demand are Merida Teya, Cancun airport, S.F Campeche, and Valladolid. The Cancun-Puerto Morelos-Playa del Carmen section will be inaugurated on February 29, and will be fully operational by the end of June.
