In the bustling streets around Ciudad Juárez, Silvia Delgado navigates congested traffic to promote her candidacy for the penal judge position, holding flyers that shun mention of her most infamous client, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. The election, set for Sunday, marks a historic move for Mexico, allowing citizens to vote for judiciary positions directly. Delgado's past as El Chapo's defense attorney garners both attention and skepticism.
When confronted about her association with the Sinaloa Cartel leader, Delgado counters allegations of conflict: "For defending people's individual guarantees? Why should that make me illegitimate?" She argues that she has upheld professional standards and claims her remuneration was standard for legal work.
However, her candidacy raises alarms among organizations like Defensorxs, which has listed her as a "high risk candidate," worried that her previous links to a powerful cartel could undermine judicial integrity. Their director, Miguel Alfonso Meza, asserts that those who have worked with drug cartels may face pressures that challenge their impartiality: "It's not even about whether she's a good person or a bad person."
Despite criticism, Delgado maintains her innocence, inviting scrutiny of her career, and firmly argues that she has not committed any crimes or faced investigations.
The election comes as nearly 7,500 judicial posts, from local magistrates to Supreme Court justices, are up for grabs. Critics of the reform, introduced under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and largely supported by current President Claudia Sheinbaum, warn that it could politicize the judiciary. Meza argues that it compromises the independence of judges, incentivizing them to vie for political favor to secure their positions.
Amidst this tumult, Olivia Aguirre Bonilla, another candidate with a background in human rights law, advocates for judicial reform. She believes this shift towards electing judges can foster accountability and challenge the existing elitist structures within the justice system.
As the electoral stakes rise, the attention now shifts to voter turnout and public sentiment around these reforms. Silvia Delgado remains hopeful that her efforts will resonate with voters, potentially positioning her to arbitrate on the very criminality she once defended.
When confronted about her association with the Sinaloa Cartel leader, Delgado counters allegations of conflict: "For defending people's individual guarantees? Why should that make me illegitimate?" She argues that she has upheld professional standards and claims her remuneration was standard for legal work.
However, her candidacy raises alarms among organizations like Defensorxs, which has listed her as a "high risk candidate," worried that her previous links to a powerful cartel could undermine judicial integrity. Their director, Miguel Alfonso Meza, asserts that those who have worked with drug cartels may face pressures that challenge their impartiality: "It's not even about whether she's a good person or a bad person."
Despite criticism, Delgado maintains her innocence, inviting scrutiny of her career, and firmly argues that she has not committed any crimes or faced investigations.
The election comes as nearly 7,500 judicial posts, from local magistrates to Supreme Court justices, are up for grabs. Critics of the reform, introduced under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and largely supported by current President Claudia Sheinbaum, warn that it could politicize the judiciary. Meza argues that it compromises the independence of judges, incentivizing them to vie for political favor to secure their positions.
Amidst this tumult, Olivia Aguirre Bonilla, another candidate with a background in human rights law, advocates for judicial reform. She believes this shift towards electing judges can foster accountability and challenge the existing elitist structures within the justice system.
As the electoral stakes rise, the attention now shifts to voter turnout and public sentiment around these reforms. Silvia Delgado remains hopeful that her efforts will resonate with voters, potentially positioning her to arbitrate on the very criminality she once defended.
