Controversial overhaul of Mexican courts approved by lower house lawmakers
Lower house approves judiciary overhaul after long session
Senate debate to begin week, but vote could be closer
Reform includes election of judges, fuels market concern
Peso dips after bill's approval amid investor worries
Adds start of Senate debate in paragraph 2, opposition lawmaker quote in paragraph 14
By Cassandra Garrison and Diego Oré
MEXICO CITY, Sept 4 (Reuters) -Mexico's lower house of Congress approved an overhaul of the country's judiciary early on Wednesday that would usher in a new era of elections for all judges, in a vote cheered by the ruling party but seen as a dangerous experiment by the opposition.
The overwhelming vote of approval by lawmakers paves the way for the constitutional reform to go to the Senate, where debate is expected to begin next Wednesday.
While the ruling coalition is also expected to approve the proposal in the upper chamber, the vote there could be closer.
"We've achieved a civic feat," said a triumphant Ricardo Monreal, lower house leader for the ruling Morena party shortly after the bill's approval.
"Without arrogance and without excessive attitudes, we can say that we have fulfilled our promise to the people."
The overhaul is expected to be enacted later in September, during the final month of outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's term in office. The leftist leader has often railed at what he calls corruption among top judges.
After a marathon overnight session in the lower house that began late on Tuesday night, the bill's passage marks a crucial step toward cementing the popular Lopez Obrador's final legislative priority.
His leftist Morena ruling party and its allies - which in the lower house hold the two-thirds supermajority required for constitutional reforms - easily approved the bill. It passed on a vote of 357 votes in favor, 130 votes against.
The reform push has led to a strike by judicial workers, strained relations with the United States and generated concern from financial markets, as investors worry about the security of their investments in Mexico under the new system.
Lopez Obrador and his supporters have argued that elected judges will boost accountability and reduce corruption.
The reform also reduces the number of Supreme Court judges to nine from 11, limits their terms to 12 years, and abolishes age restrictions for ministers and magistrates.
Critics have noted the bill will not impact prosecutors or police, which they say are the real culprits of impunity and corruption.
On Tuesday, lawmakers began their session after a six-hour delay as they relocated to a sports complex in Mexico City after striking judicial workers blocked the entrance to the lower house in protest. They argue that the proposed reform would trample on their labor rights.
"They don't want to face the thousands of people who are outside demanding their rights," said opposition lawmaker Maria Josefina Gamboa during the session.
In a rare move, most Supreme Court judges also voted on Tuesday to join the work stoppage.
Mexico's peso has taken a beating since last June's national election saw Morena's Claudia Sheinbaum win the presidency, while the party also secured majorities in Congress.
But on Wednesday, it only dipped slightly by 0.16% immediately after the bill's final large approval.
Reporting by Cassandra Garrison, Diego Ore and Kylie Madry; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Boyle and Noe Torres; Editing by Angus MacSwan, David Alire Garcia and Sandra Maler
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إخلاء المسؤولية: تتيح كيانات XM Group خدمة تنفيذية فقط والدخول إلى منصة تداولنا عبر الإنترنت، مما يسمح للشخص بمشاهدة و/أو استخدام المحتوى المتاح على موقع الويب أو عن طريقه، وهذا المحتوى لا يراد به التغيير أو التوسع عن ذلك. يخضع هذا الدخول والاستخدام دائماً لما يلي: (1) الشروط والأحكام؛ (2) تحذيرات المخاطر؛ (3) إخلاء المسؤولية الكامل. لذلك يُقدم هذا المحتوى على أنه ليس أكثر من معلومات عامة. تحديداً، يرجى الانتباه إلى أن المحتوى المتاح على منصة تداولنا عبر الإنترنت ليس طلباً أو عرضاً لدخول أي معاملات في الأسواق المالية. التداول في أي سوق مالي به مخاطرة عالية برأس مالك.
جميع المواد المنشورة على منصة تداولنا مخصصة للأغراض التعليمية/المعلوماتية فقط ولا تحتوي - ولا ينبغي اعتبار أنها تحتوي - على نصائح أو توصيات مالية أو ضريبية أو تجارية، أو سجلاً لأسعار تداولنا، أو عرضاً أو طلباً لأي معاملة في أي صكوك مالية أو عروض ترويجية مالية لا داعي لها.
أي محتوى تابع للغير بالإضافة إلى المحتوى الذي أعدته XM، مثل الآراء، والأخبار، والأبحاث، والتحليلات والأسعار وغيرها من المعلومات أو روابط مواقع تابعة للغير وواردة في هذا الموقع تُقدم لك "كما هي"، كتعليق عام على السوق ولا تعتبر نصيحة استثمارية. يجب ألا يُفسر أي محتوى على أنه بحث استثماري، وأن تلاحظ وتقبل أن المحتوى غير مُعدٍ وفقاً للمتطلبات القانونية المصممة لتعزيز استقلالية البحث الاستثماري، وبالتالي، فهو بمثابة تواصل تسويقي بموجب القوانين واللوائح ذات الصلة. فضلاً تأكد من أنك قد قرأت وفهمت الإخطار بالبحوث الاستثمارية غير المستقلة والتحذير من مخاطر المعلومات السابقة، والذي يمكنك الاطلاع عليه هنا.
