Cui Bono?

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Federal magistrates in Mexico launched an indefinite strike on Wednesday against plans by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to have judges appointed through popular elections, a reform critics said could endanger the independence of the judicial branch, the Financial Times reported.

Obrador, a left-wing populist in his last weeks in power, has often criticized the judiciary, accusing it of corruption. His plans, echoing public grievances regarding the justice system, target judges even on the Supreme Court.

From midnight onwards on Wednesday, federal judges walked out of courts to express their disapproval, joining court workers who went on strike on Monday. Though most court dates were canceled, the remaining staff will look after urgent matters.

Judges and magistrates are worried the proposed reform would hand the judicial power to the executive branch, reported Mexico’s El Debate. International experts said it would question the rule of law itself.

“We are facing an unprecedented constitutional crisis that could destabilize our institutions and erode the fundamental rights of citizens,” said federal judge Juana Fuentes Velázquez at a demonstration.

Fuentes Velázquez added that the reform served “political interests.”

Obrador reiterated on Tuesday that the change would not affect court workers and opined that “most Mexicans won’t care” about the strike.

Mexicans have long described the judiciary as slow, but their criticism mostly targeted local offices, while experts said federal institutions had improved.

The judicial reform is the most recent example of the outgoing president’s attempts to cement his legacy through profound system-wide changes, including proposals to place the National Guard under military control and to remove proportional representation in the federal parliament.

Should the reform be approved, Obrador’s political heir and elected presidential successor Claudia Sheinbaum will have to implement it after her inauguration in October. Sheinbaum supports the proposal, but analysts said it could pose a political challenge for her.