Washington observes: utilitarian indigenism and the setback for Lenia Batres

The recent "judicial election" in Mexico was not a democratic exercise, but rather a reflection of the internal chaos within Morena and the collapse of Lenia Batres's nepotistic project in the Supreme Court. With 73% of voters following a pre-printed cheat sheet in favor of Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, it became clear that the process was neither free nor citizen-driven, but rather an internal party affair disguised as popular participation.

Batres's failure marks a breaking point within the ruling party: neither her last name nor her ideological closeness to Palacio Nacional was enough to prevail. Beyond the internal power struggle, there is an even more troubling element: the essentialization of indigenous communities as part of the regime's legitimization strategy.

Hugo Aguilar Ortiz was presented by the government as a representative of indigenous communities, a supposedly "popular" and "diverse" face chosen by the people. The reality is that his candidacy was a political tokenization operation, where ethnic identity was reduced to a symbolic resource.

The Fourth Transformation has turned indigenism into a political trend, useful for propaganda but empty of real commitment. Indigenous communities—historically marginalized by the system—are now used as discursive decoration to justify decisions made by party elites. There is no real empowerment, no voice, no autonomy: there is utilitarianism and simulation.

Just as in previous administrations, the indigenous face serves the purposes of power, but their causes remain postponed. This is not about authentic representation, but about political marketing with a brown face.

This judicial election—and the profile of some of its operators—also raised alarms in Washington, where there is already talk of visa cancellations and possible restrictions on judicial officials linked to structures of corruption, money laundering, or organized crime.

The United States is watching with growing concern the co-optation of the Mexican justice system, and views with suspicion how actors without judicial careers, but with political sponsors or suspicious financial ties, reach key positions under the pretext of "popular election."

The election of Hugo Aguilar Ortiz represents neither a democratic triumph nor an indigenous advance: it is the failure of Lenia Batres, the evidence of a fierce internal struggle within Morena, and yet another case of identity essentialization in the service of power. Domestically, the fragmentation of the ruling party is deepening; internationally, Mexico is moving further away from the rule of law and closer to the risk of diplomatic sanctions.