Four candidates challenged for alleged ties with the church led by Naasón Joaquín
Miguel Alfonso Meza and victims of La Luz del Mundo asked the INE and the Electoral Tribunal to cancel at least four judicial candidacies. The candidates have links with cult leaders, which, according to the victims, jeopardizes the autonomy of the Judiciary and access to justice.
Nasasón Joaquín
The challenges target candidacies of the Federal Judiciary Council, already noted for their closeness to La Luz del Mundo.
La Luz del Mundo has been identified as a hierarchical structure that covers up sexual abuse and operates with impunity in several states.
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Now, the risk is that members or defenders of the cult enter the judicial system.
Who are the challenged candidates?
Among those mentioned is Cinthia Teniente Mendoza, mayor of Villagrán and wife of Morena senator Emmanuel Reyes Carmona.
She aspires to be a labor magistrate in the Sixteenth Circuit and has been publicly linked with La Luz del Mundo, despite her family and political ties with the cult.
Another figure is Madián Sinaí Menchaca Sierra, daughter of cult leader Nicolás Menchaca. She seeks to be an administrative judge in Jalisco, and her candidacy has been questioned for possible sectarian interests in the Judiciary.
The third is Betzabeth Almazán Morales, who has publicly defended Naasón Joaquín and accuses the U.S. of orchestrating a campaign against him, despite his conviction for child abuse. Her inclusion in the process has raised alarms among activists and victims.
They call to halt the advance of religious structures in the judicial apparatus
The victims demanded that no one linked to organizations that cover up sexual abuse access judicial positions. They warned that these appointments jeopardize impartiality, especially in cases of gender violence and child abuse.
The message was clear: the State can't allow the tentacles of a religious cult with a criminal background to reach the administration of justice.
It was also warned that other candidacies have links with illicit activities, revealing the lack of real filters in the selection process.
The Judiciary should guarantee independence, not become a refuge for religious or political interests. This case could set a precedent if the courts act firmly and stop the infiltration.
Justice can't serve any sect or party
Amid the institutional discredit that Mexico is experiencing, allowing people with ties to religious cults to hold judicial positions would be devastating. It is an evident conflict of interest that undermines public trust and endangers the victims.
