President of the Supreme Court, Arturo Zaldívar’s extension of mandate is now official

The federal Executive published this Monday, June 7th, just one day after the midterm election, the controversial reform of the Judiciary, which extends the term of the President of the Supreme Court, Arturo Zaldívar, from 4 to 6 years.

“The person who, upon its entry into force, occupies the Presidency of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation and the Council of the Federal Judiciary will last in that position until November 30, 2024”, indicates transitory article number 13.

The same article indicates that the purpose is to implement the constitutional reform to the Judicial Power of the Federation published on March 11, 2021, in the Official Gazette of the Federation, as well as the regulatory laws.

With the reform decree to the Organic Law of the Judicial Power, the period of the members of the Council of the Federal Judiciary also goes from 5 to 7 years.

Specifies that the counselor appointed by the Plenary of the Court on December 1, 2016, will conclude his appointment on November 30, 2023, while the one appointed on February 24, 2019, will conclude his duties on February 23, 2026.

The counselor appointed by the federal Executive on November 18, 2019, will conclude on November 17, 2026, and the counselors appointed by the Senate on November 20, 2019, will conclude their mandate on November 19, 2026.

Meanwhile, the counselor appointed by the Plenary of the Court on December 1, 2019, will last in office until November 30, 2026.

The reform, which was approved by the Lower Chamber of Congress on April 22 and will come into force tomorrow, generated criticism from jurists, legislators, and other political actors who consider the extension of Zaldívar’s term unconstitutional.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador supported this expansion with the argument that Zaldívar is the only Minister capable of bringing the judicial reform to fruition. However, the opposition announced that they will challenge this decision.

Source: Reforma