Mexico high court strikes down law allowing use of troops in role of police

Mexico’s Supreme Court on Thursday voted in favor of striking down the controversial Internal Security Law, which authorized mobilizing the army and the navy for public safety purposes.

By a vote of 9-1, the judges concluded that the law, enacted by outgoing President Enrique Peña Nieto, violates the Mexican Constitution.

One of the judges’ main arguments to strike down the law is that Congress does not have the legal power to regulate the participation of the armed forces in public safety operations.

Judge Alfredo Gutierrez Ortiz Mena also noted that indigenous people were not consulted before the law was enacted, while Margarita Luna Ramos said there were irregularities during legislative process, an argument that was backed up by her colleague Norma Lucia Piña.

The only judge to support the law, Jorge Pardo Rebolledo, said that the legislation provides a regulatory framework for the army and the navy “to know the rules and limits regarding their involvement in these (public safety) actions.”

Peña Nieto signed the bill into law in December 2017 amid outspoken opposition from the families of crime victims, civic groups and international human rights organizations.