President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced on Sunday that he signed into law controversial judicial reforms that will make Mexico the only country in the world where all judges are elected by popular vote, Mexican media reported.
The outgoing leftist leader signed the decree in a video posted on social media, calling it a “historic day.”
He was accompanied by President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, his close associate who will succeed him on October 1 after winning the election in June.
López Obrador has pushed hard for constitutional changes, criticising the current judiciary as “rotten,” corrupt and serving the interests of the political and economic elite.
Opponents and legal experts fear elected judges could become more vulnerable to pressure from criminals in a country where powerful drug cartels regularly use bribes and intimidation to influence officials.
Lawmakers were forced to suspend debate on the law and move elsewhere after protesters stormed the Senate last week.
As well as exacerbating tensions at home, the judicial reforms have caused diplomatic tensions with close trading partners – the US and Canada – and upset investors. Opponents say the reforms will undermine democratic checks and balances.
The US, Mexico’s main trading partner, has warned that the reforms would jeopardise relations that depend on investor confidence in the Mexican legal system.
In August, US Ambassador Ken Salazar also said the changes could pose a “serious risk” to Mexican democracy and would allow criminals to use “politically motivated and inexperienced judges.”
