Blind justice

The latest on the judicial election campaign trail, plus where is Sandra Cuevas?

Welcome to The Mexpatriate.

It’s hard to compete with “Habemos Papam” on the second day of the first conclave in 12 years. As the world reacts to Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States—a “dark horse” but no, not The Donald—in today’s newsletter I bring you the scoop on another election with candidates in robes.

In just over three weeks, Mexicans will vote in the first national judicial elections, the climax of the judicial reform passed during AMLO’s last weeks in office last September, and the beginning of an unprecedented two-year overhaul of the judiciary.

Never will so many judges be elected, watched by so many, and chosen by so few.

But before getting to the campaign trail, a quick detour into a gathering storm in Mexico City politics.

Sandra Cuevas, the colorful (to put it charitably) former alcaldesa of the Cuauhtémoc borough, and aspirant to the presidency in 2030, has gone digitally missing. Her social media accounts were taken down on April 29, and rumor has it, she is under investigation for money laundering by U.S. authorities (there is no official statement yet).