Mexican Supreme Court strikes down widow pension rule and upholds jurisdiction in university funding case

The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) invalidated a regulation of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) that required a minimum of five years of cohabitation for a concubine to receive a widow’s pension. The court voted 7‑2 to declare the provision of Article 130 of the Social Security Law unconstitutional, stating that the time‑based requirement discriminates against people who form families outside marriage and adds an undue burden to the right to social security.

In a separate decision, the SCJN rejected the federal government's attempt to disqualify judges from hearing a lawsuit over university financing. The court upheld its own competence and that of lower courts to examine the constitutionality of Decree 759/2025, which ties university funding to specific budget allocations. It ruled that the judges' paid teaching positions at public universities do not constitute a conflict of interest, allowing the case brought by the National Interuniversity Council to proceed.