Electoral tribunal rulings and judicial vacancies

In Mexico, electoral tribunals are addressing both local and federal judicial matters. At the local level, the Regional Chamber of the Federal Electoral Tribunal (TEPJF) ordered the Electoral Tribunal of the State of Hidalgo to review allegations that Municipal President Tania Valdez Cuellar hindered councilors in Tepeji del Río by repeatedly canceling meetings. The TEPJF noted that these actions must be evaluated to determine if they impact political and electoral rights.

On a federal level, legal experts from the Citizen Observatory have called on the Mexican Senate to fill two vacancies in the Superior Chamber of the TEPJF following the conclusion of Janine Otálora Malassis’s term and the resignation of Mónica Aralí Soto Fregoso. Experts argue that the Senate must fulfill its constitutional obligation to maintain seven magistrates to ensure the court functions as a court of last resort, warning that failure to act could violate due process and expose the state to international responsibility.

Separately, in Ecuador, the Contencioso Electoral Tribunal (TCE) dismissed a complaint against Quito Mayor Pabel Muñoz, ruling that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter regarding a Metropolitan Council resolution.