President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to the criticisms of former president Ernesto Zedillo, who accused her of promoting the selection of judges and magistrates in an authoritarian manner. Zedillo had claimed that Sheinbaum's government was manipulating the appointment of candidates to the judiciary, selecting individuals who did not have the necessary qualifications to administer justice.
In an essay titled "Mexico: from democracy to tyranny," Zedillo expressed his concern over the lack of professional and ethical qualifications among the candidates determined by the government. In response to these accusations, Sheinbaum defended her position, arguing that her aim is to inform the public from different perspectives so that each Mexican can make their own decisions. The president questioned whether it was authoritarian to promote citizen participation in the election of the judiciary and whether it was undemocratic to allow freedom of expression by informing from various viewpoints.
Additionally, Sheinbaum presented a documentary that aimed to show events that occurred during Zedillo's term, including the repression of the Zapatista National Liberation Army and the Aguas Blancas massacre. The president stated that this documentary sought to close the topic and provide information to citizens, especially to the youth who did not live through that era. Sheinbaum recalled Zedillo's attempt to privatize the Federal Electricity Commission, mentioning the recent blackout in Spain as an example of what could have happened.
For his part, the president of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, demanded accountability from private operators for the blackout in his country and announced reforms to prevent future incidents. Sheinbaum highlighted the importance of this event by recalling the neoliberal policy of privatizing public services, including electricity. The confrontation between Sheinbaum and Zedillo came to an end, with the presentation of the documentary serving as a final point to this tense political chapter surrounding the reform of the judiciary.
