New Supreme Court minister sparks off conflict of interest claims

On Tuesday, Mexico’s Senate appointed the wife of a business ally of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to serve on the Supreme Court , sparking criticism that her appointment could undermine the independence of the top tribunal .

The Senate voted by an overwhelming majority to approve the nomination of Yasmín Esquivel Mossa , a Mexico City judge married to José María Riobóo , a construction magnate with close ties to López Obrador .

After her ratification, Esquivel , who has rejected any suggestion that her relationship with Riobóo could compromise her integrity at the Supreme Court , vowed to uphold the independence of the judiciary in serving her 15-year term.

But critics of López Obrador expressed dismay after it was announced that she would fill the seat vacated by Justice Margarita Luna Ramos.

MORENA

and its allies needed a two-thirds majority in the 128-seat Senate to ratify Esquivel and fell short with only 66 of the 122 votes cast during the first round of voting.

But after a recess, a second vote was held and Esquivel was elected with 95 votes.

Esquivel

was one of three women nominated by López Obrador . The two candidates had ties to MORENA , but they received little or no support.

During López Obrador’s 2000-2005 stint as mayor of Mexico City , Riobóo was a contractor on one of the administration’s top public works, the construction of an elevated highway around part of the capital known as the Segundo Piso.

Riobóo

was also a vocal proponent of abandoning a USD $13 billion Mexico City airport being built on the drained bed of Lake Texcoco by the previous government in favor of converting a military base north of the capital into a new travel hub.

López Obrador

canceled the Texcoco project in late October and said he would convert the base as a cheaper alternative. He said Riobóo would not be a contractor on the new project.

Zaldívar takes over the Supreme Court

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