Mexico's Congressional Vote Pushes Controversial Judicial Reform Forward

Legislation mandates popular elections for judges, raising concerns about political influence and judicial independence.

Mexico's lower house passed the reform with 359 votes in favor and 135 against after a 12-hour session.
The reform requires around 7,000 judges to be elected by popular vote, reducing Supreme Court justices from 11 to 9.
Critics argue the changes could lead to political interference and undermine judicial impartiality.
Protests erupted, with judicial workers joining nationwide strikes, and the peso fell 0.4% against the dollar.
The reform must still pass the Senate and be approved by Mexico's 32 state congresses.