Judicial Shift: El Chapo's Lawyer Becomes Judge in Controversial Elections

Delgado's election marks a significant moment in Mexico's first direct judicial elections, despite concerns about organized crime connections.

In a groundbreaking moment for Mexico, Silvia Delgado, a former defence attorney for the infamous drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, has been elected as a local criminal judge in Ciudad Juárez. This election marks a historic step as it is the first time judges have been directly elected by voters following extensive judicial reforms implemented by the Morena party.

Delgado's candidacy was met with scrutiny due to allegations of ties to organized crime, a claim she staunchly rejected, framing her defence of Guzmán as a professional obligation. The voting results, announced on Tuesday, confirm her victory in an election characterized by low voter turnout of just 13%, the poorest response recorded for any federal election in Mexico. Critics argue that this low interest reflects a lack of confidence in the electoral process concerning the judiciary.

Despite the controversy surrounding her past, Delgado has maintained that every individual, regardless of their crimes, deserves legal representation. El Chapo, a key leader of the Sinaloa cartel, was extradited to the United States in 2017 after being convicted of numerous drug trafficking charges, leading to his current life sentence in a high-security prison.

While the government argues that allowing citizens to elect judges will enhance democracy, opponents caution that such reforms could jeopardize judicial independence. Following her election, Delgado stated that she would refrain from further comments until the official confirmation of her win, implying that her journey in the judicial arena is just beginning amidst the polarized views on her past.