Meet Mexico’s nine new Supreme Court judges elected by the people
For the first time in Mexico’s history, voters directly chose the country’s Supreme Court judges.
In Sunday’s election, over 13 million people selected five women and four men to form the new nine-member bench.
The vote was part of a judicial reform aimed at renewing the court, though critics say it risks politicising justice.
The judges will take office on September 1. The candidate with the most votes, Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, is expected to serve as chief justice for a two-year term.
Hugo Aguilar Ortiz
Aguilar, who received the most votes, is a 51-year-old Indigenous lawyer from Oaxaca. He currently works with the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples and has long defended Indigenous communities in legal disputes.
Though he has never served as a judge, Aguilar is known for his work on human rights and legal reforms. His slogan during the campaign was “It’s our turn,” reflecting his push for greater Indigenous representation in the judiciary.
Lenia Batres Guadarrama
Batres is a current Supreme Court justice and a close ally of the Morena party. She received the second-highest number of votes.
Appointed during President López Obrador’s term, Batres has supported many of the government’s legal and social reforms.
Giovanni Azael Figueroa Mejía
Figueroa is a lawyer with a doctorate in constitutional law. He is one of the top four male vote-getters and has focused much of his career on legal education and constitutional matters.
Irving Espinoza Betanzo
Espinoza serves as an anti-corruption magistrate in Mexico City. His work has focused on strengthening integrity within public institutions, and he has been seen as supportive of the current administration’s fight against corruption.
Arístides Rodrigo Guerrero García
Guerrero is a lawyer and former government official in Mexico City. He is known for his administrative experience and support for Morena’s legal reforms.
Ana Catalina Herrerías Minjares
Herrerías is a high-ranking official in Mexico’s federal prosecution service. She is expected to bring experience from criminal justice institutions into the Supreme Court.
María Estela Ríos González
Ríos served as legal advisor to President López Obrador during his administration. She is a lawyer with deep ties to the Morena party and is known for her support of left-leaning legal positions.
Bertha Alcalde Luján
Alcalde is a lawyer and public health official. She is the sister of Mexico’s current interior minister and has previously been involved in judicial reform efforts.
Netzaí Sandoval Ballesteros
Sandoval is a legal scholar and former official at Mexico’s Federal Judiciary Council. He has advocated for legal changes in line with Morena’s broader reform agenda.
The new judges are expected to play a key role in shaping Mexico’s legal landscape.
