The human rights organization Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) criticized Mexico’s judicial reform on Tuesday, describing it as a “setback for human rights.”

The government launched the judicial reform in February of this year. The changes proposed by the government include the reduction of ministers of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation from eleven to nine members and plans to elect ministers, judges, and magistrates through popular vote by 2025. The three powers of the state, executive, judicial, and legislative, will propose 30 candidates who will start their election campaign and will be voted by the Mexican people for their position. Finally, the reform proposes the creation of a Judicial Discipline Tribunal to investigate members of the judicial system. This new organization will be able to sanction judges and magistrates for corruption, nepotism, and acts contrary to the law and public interests.

WOLA critically assessed the probable impact of such a reform. The core argument of the commentary regarded the change from professional examinations to a popular vote to choose judges and magistrates. According to the human rights organization, this new system will bring unprecedented political influence into the judiciary. In this sense, the ruling political party will play a great role in the election of members of the judiciary, posing a risk to the impartiality of the judicial system.

Moreover, WOLA argues the reform could “lead to the continuation and deepening of patterns of impunity and abuse against the population.” As the government is critical of judges who free detained people from pre-trial detention, this could encourage the election of judges who are inclined not to authorize liberation. As a result, WOLA states the reform will cause “illegal practices such as arbitrary detentions, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable sectors of society.”

Despite this, the government has advanced the reform. President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, stated “There will not be more control by the executive power, there will be control by the people.” In contrast, WOLA argues it will expose the Mexican people to impunity and abuse, weakening the protection of their human rights.

The reform will need a majority of votes in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies to be effective.