A crisis is brewing within the Yucatán Judiciary, with at least 11 judges being investigated for allegedly holding office without taking an official oath. The scandal has raised concerns about the integrity of the justice system and has sparked a national debate.
According to reports, the affected judges have issued criminal rulings since 2024, despite not having been sworn in. This anomaly has been linked to the approval of then-Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal, who is now a senator for the PAN (National Action Party).
The investigation centers on Jazmín Ojeda Alayón, the second supervisory judge of the Mérida Oral Justice Center, who allegedly made appointments and performed duties without a legal appointment. The Attorney General’s Office has reportedly launched an investigation into Ojeda Alayón and other local judges.
In response to these allegations, the Judicial Council acknowledged that Ojeda Alayón was not appointed as a Control Judge and therefore could not have been sworn in. This finding has significant implications, as it suggests that she may be committing the crime of unlawful exercise of public office.
Other officials within the State Judicial Branch are also facing similar scrutiny. Iliana Elizabeth Álvarez de la Cruz, Rodrigo Dajdaj Germón, Silvia Pamela Zetina Bautista, Mónica Acosta García, Silvia Elena Torres Cobá, Raúl Edilberto Bardales Alcocer, Suemi Cecilia Alejos Góngora, Elsy Margarita Basto Uc, and Janet de Rocío Rodríguez Tilán are all facing investigation for allegedly holding office without fulfilling the necessary requirements.
The scandal has also raised concerns about alleged influence peddling and corruption within the judiciary. In several cases, Judge Ojeda Alayón has issued rulings that have sparked controversy, including a recent case in which she released Spanish citizen Joan Serra Montagut from pretrial detention despite his facing charges of damaging property and threatening to inflict bodily harm.
The situation is further complicated by allegations of influence peddling. María Engracia García Chávez and her financial manager, Gregorio Oliva Miranda, owners of a company dedicated to providing wholesale medical products, have filed a commercial lawsuit against Nacional Terapéutica, whose owners are allegedly using their connections within the judiciary to evade payment responsibility.
In another case, Judge Ojeda Alayón exonerated brothers Herbé Jesús and Gibrán, Herbé Rodríguez Coello, of charges of fraud, forgery, and use of false documents, despite evidence pointing to their involvement in these crimes. The decision has sparked allegations of influence peddling, given the family ties between the accused and a former mayor of Mérida.
The investigation has gained momentum with the filing of a complaint by a citizen affected by the judges’ decisions. Attorney Justo Medina Escobedo, who represents the complainant, argues that the involved judges began their duties without fulfilling the necessary requirements to be sworn in, rendering their actions illegal.
As the situation continues to unfold, questions are being raised about the integrity of the justice system and the accountability of those within it. The scandal has sparked a national debate and has significant implications for the future of the judiciary in Yucatán.
Source: La Jornada
