MEXICO CITY (AP) – A lawyer who previously represented notorious drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has secured a judgeship in Chihuahua, Mexico, as part of the country's historic judicial elections held this month. The final vote count was completed on Wednesday, and Silvia Delgado García is set to serve as a criminal court judge in Ciudad Juarez, a city located directly across the border from El Paso, Texas. The certification of election results was scheduled for Thursday.
In 2016, Delgado García was part of Guzmán’s legal team during his brief detention in Ciudad Juarez before his extradition to the United States. Guzmán was ultimately tried and convicted in the U.S., receiving a life sentence for his drug trafficking operations. Her connection to the infamous drug lord has led some critics to view her as a “high risk” candidate. The human rights advocacy group Defensorxs raised concerns prior to the June 1 election, claiming that her history of defending alleged drug traffickers could jeopardize the integrity of the judicial position.
The elections aimed to enhance accountability in the Mexican judiciary, a goal championed by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Over 2,600 judicial positions were contested, culminating in a significant yet disappointing voter turnout of only 13%. Critics have expressed fears that the election of judges may lead to increased politicization within the judiciary, potentially facilitating organized crime's influence over judicial outcomes. With many winners having ties or ideological alignments with Mexico’s governing Morena party, there are rising concerns about the party gaining control over the Supreme Court.
Following the elections, Delgado García did not respond to media inquiries. However, she previously articulated to AP the rationale behind her decision to represent Guzmán, framing it as a basic legal principle: “Everyone has a right to an effective defense.” She clarified that her involvement was minimal, consisting mainly of visiting Guzmán in prison and participating in a single hearing that was interrupted by a power outage.
Delgado García emphasized that working with a client of such high profile could enrich her professional credentials: “If they give me a client of that magnitude, in terms of resume that’s going to help me.” She campaigned on her extensive experience, boasting 18 years as a criminal defense attorney. Throughout her campaign, Delgado García positioned herself as a dedicated citizen who respects the law and is prepared to uphold impartiality in her judicial role. “I aim to be impartial in the decisions I hand down,” she asserted.
The implications of Delgado García’s election and the overall voter turnout in these judicial elections underscore ongoing debates surrounding Mexico's judicial system, political influence, and the complex relationship between legal defense and organized crime. The historical context of such elections raises essential questions about the future of judicial independence and the challenges faced in the fight against corruption within the legal system.
