Democracy Dialogues: Mexico’s Shift, Risks, Reforms, and Relations with the United States
Democracy Dialogues: Mexico’s Shift, Risks, Reforms, and Relations with the United States
Lorenzo Córdova, the former head of the INE examines the state of democracy in Mexico, the judicial reforms, and USMCA.
Speakers:
- Lorenzo Córdova, former Head, Mexico's National Electoral Institute and Professor and Researcher, Institute of Legal Research, UNAM
- Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas
"We are right now in the context of a transition into autocracy,” warns Lorenzo Córdova, a professor and researcher at the Institute of Legal Research at UNAM and the former head of Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE). In a Democracy Dialogues interview with AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth, Córdova reflects on the state of Mexican democracy and explains how recent constitutional amendments have begun to erode foundational democratic principles, including the independence of the judiciary.
Córdova examines the implications of Mexico's shift for the U.S-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). With judicial independence weakened, he argues that the rule of law—the bedrock of investor confidence and cross-border cooperation—becomes more vulnerable. He warns that, in light of judicial reforms, "we could have politicians instead of judges," threatening both democracy and trade stability.
The discussion also highlights Mexico's democratic resilience. Despite these challenges, large-scale public protests have emerged in defense of institutions like the INE. However, Córdova cautions that this public commitment may not be enough, warning that the future of Mexican democracy now hinges on government will and "discretionary powers"—a precarious situation for a democracy at risk.
Democracy Dialogues is a series of conversations on the state of democracy in the Americas. Hosted by Eric Farnsworth, these one-on-one interviews with leading democracy practitioners explore the most difficult issues of regional democratic governance with an eye toward pragmatic, deeply-considered solutions. Previous guests have included Guatemala's President Bernardo Arévalo, Colombia's then-President Ivan Duque, Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, NBA Basketball Star Enes Kanter Freedom, OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro, Cuba Decide founder Rosa Maria Paya, founder and editor of Nicaragua's Confidential Carlos Fernando Chamorro, and numerous others.
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