Mexican Supreme Court Makes History with First Session Outside Capital City

Mexico's highest court conducted its inaugural session away from Mexico City, meeting in a mountain community in Chiapas state. The historic gathering drew 2,000 residents who witnessed court proceedings under a tent in the town square of Tenejapa.

TENEJAPA, Mexico (AP) — In a groundbreaking move, Mexico’s highest judicial body conducted its inaugural session away from its traditional neoclassical headquarters in the capital city on Thursday, choosing instead a mountainous community in southern Chiapas state as part of an initiative to make the nation’s top court more accessible to remote regions.

Approximately 2,000 residents gathered beneath a large tent erected in Tenejapa’s main plaza to witness the court’s proceedings firsthand.

Following constitutional changes, the court’s justices were chosen through popular vote for the first time last year. Leading the court is Chief Justice Hugo Aguilar, an Indigenous attorney from the adjacent state of Oaxaca.

“Frequently in our communities, we only experience the consequences of decisions” made from distant locations, Aguilar explained on Thursday. The new approach aims to ensure “that you observe our deliberation process, understand our statements, and see how we evaluate and reach our conclusions.”

Several attendees, including Indigenous community leaders and officials, displayed banners reading “right to self-determination,” while others simply came to witness and participate in this unprecedented event.

“I’m pleased that this new minister (Aguilar) visits towns and cities to administer justice because we truly need to hear from the people,” stated María de la Cruz Velasco, who leads an organization supporting femicide victims.

Representatives from La Candelaria community in San Cristobal de las Casas municipality were among the attendees. This group has sought self-governance for years, and their case reached the Supreme Court as one of Thursday’s discussion topics.

While court proceedings are typically lengthy and challenging for non-legal professionals to understand, Indigenous populations and violence victims have historically found support from the court. The institution has generally championed human rights from a progressive standpoint, though enforcement of some rulings has been inconsistent.

Velasco shared that when her daughter was murdered, local judicial systems refused to categorize the crime as femicide, but the Supreme Court ultimately determined it wasn’t ordinary homicide due to its gender-based nature. “Currently, my daughter’s murderer is imprisoned for 55 years,” she stated.

This represents the first popularly elected court, with supporters arguing this approach increases responsiveness and accountability. Critics condemned the move as politicizing the nation’s highest judicial body. Voter participation was remarkably low, and candidates affiliated with the ruling party secured most positions.

However, during Thursday’s session in mountainous Tenejapa, such political debates were absent. Instead, residents expressed appreciation that the court had traveled to their community.