Well, while you and I were deciding what to watch on Netflix or fighting for a spot in the supermarket parking lot, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (or the SCJN, for you guys) was making its own moves. And no, it was not a reality show drama, although the ingredients were there: a closed-door session, unanimous decisions and a new cast of nine ministers that sounds like a new season of a judicial series.
The First Act: The New OAJ
In what was its first official move, the new Plenary Session of the Court, fresh and probably with the smell of new paint, formalized the creation of the Body of Judicial Administration (OAJ). So that we understand each other: it is like the administration team that is going to make sure that everything works without losing a penny. And in charge of this new department of ‘efficiency and transparency’ was Néstor Vargas, the candidate proposed by President Claudia Sheinbaum. Yes, that same one from the 4T, because in the end, everything has to do with everything, right?
But he was not alone in the play. By unanimity (yes, like when all your friends agree that pineapple pizza is a crime), the Plenary appointed three more members: José Alberto Gallegos Ramírez, Lorena Josefina Pérez Romo and Catalina Ramírez Hernández. With these three appointments, the OAJ dream team is completed, because last week the Executive had already placed Néstor Vargas Solano (yes, the same one we talked about, because in politics names are repeated more than outfits in a series) and yesterday the Legislature did the same with Surit Berenice Romero Domínguez. All very coordinated, like a well-rehearsed TikTok dance.
Promises (Because There Are Always Promises)
In an installation ceremony that, I imagine, had more protocol than a royal wedding, the minister president Hugo Aguilar set the table for what is to come. And then, Néstor Vargas took the microphone to give a speech that sounded like a mix of motivational coach and tax auditor. Directly to the judicial workers, he told them: “this transformation is not a threat, it is an opportunity.” It sounds like those messages you get on LinkedIn when the company announces cuts, but with better production.
And in case anyone doubted the intentions, Vargas was clear: “austerity will be the norm, not the exception.” In other words, goodbye to luxury trips and expensive meals at the expense of the treasury. “Every peso will be audited, every square will be reviewed,” he promised, like that friend who suddenly becomes vegan and checks every ingredient in your food. He even dropped the phrase of the year: “there is no justice without honesty”. Has anyone already made the merch?
But it’s not all cutting and auditing. He also promised to promote a judicial career based on merit, free of favoritism. In other words, if you want a position, you are going to have to earn it with talent and not with leverage. Revolutionary? In this country, almost yes. With solid training, evaluation and accountability processes. It sounds good, but we’ll see if it sticks like those New Year’s resolutions we abandoned in February.
The mission of the new OAJ, according to Vargas, is “to guarantee that the administration of the jurisdictional bodies allows justice to be accessible, transparent, efficient and deeply humane.” Wow, quite a challenge in a country where justice sometimes seems like an abstract concept, like understanding taxes or the fashion for cargo pants.
And he closed with a flourish: “No more privileges, no more opacity, no more indifference to the pain of the excluded.” Strong words that sound like a campaign slogan, but hopefully they translate into real actions. Because in the end, what it is about is that justice works for everyone, not just those with contacts or resources.
So there you have it: the new chapter of the SCJN starts with promises of transparency, austerity and meritocracy. Will it be the beginning of a new era or just a wardrobe change? Time will tell. Meanwhile, we will continue here, observing and with one eye on the news and the other on the memecito of the day.
Did you like this look behind the scenes of the judiciary? Share it on your social networks and let’s keep the information flowing! And if you want more analysis with a touch of humor (and some sarcasm), be sure to explore our related content.
