A lawyer who previously defended Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, one of Mexico’s most infamous drug lords, has won a seat as a local judge in Ciudad Juárez, sparking outrage and allegations of conflict of interest.
Silvia Delgado, 51, was part of El Chapo’s defense team before his extradition to the United States in 2017. The Sinaloa cartel leader is currently serving a life sentence in a supermax prison in Colorado after being found guilty of drug trafficking in 2019.
Delgado’s election as a local criminal judge has been met with criticism from transparency organizations, which accuse her of having alleged links to organized crime. However, she has dismissed these claims, arguing that defending El Chapo was simply part of her job.
“We cannot judge individuals based on the cases they defend,” Delgado said in an interview before the election. “I did my job as a lawyer, and I will do my duty as a judge.”
The judicial election, which took place on June 1, was the first of its kind to be held in Mexico following a radical reform introduced by the governing Morena party. The reform allows judges, including Supreme Court justices, to be elected directly through popular vote.
Supporters of the reform argue that it will make the judiciary more democratic and accountable to voters. However, critics claim that it undermines the independence of the judiciary and creates conflicts of interest for judges who have previously worked as lawyers or had ties to organized crime.
The low turnout of 13% in the election has also raised concerns about public enthusiasm for direct voting on judges. President Claudia Sheinbaum has hailed the election as a success, despite widespread criticism.
Delgado’s win is set to be officially confirmed in coming days, and it remains to be seen how she will balance her previous work defending El Chapo with her new role as a judge.
Source: BBC
