In the first judicial election, Lenia Batres Guadarrama is expected to continue as a minister of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), since she decided to participate in the process.

The lawyer and politician, who is an acting minister, will be part of the reconfiguration of the Federal Judicial Branch (PJF), starting with the reform enacted in 2024.

Below, we present the career of the woman also known as 'the people's minister'.

Who is Lenia Batres, Minister of the Court?

Batres Guadarrama comes from a dynasty aligned with leftist ideology. His siblings, Martí Batres, current head of the ISSSTE (National Institute of Statistics and Census), and Valentina Batres, former local representative in Mexico City, have helped lay the groundwork for Morena and the so-called Fourth Transformation.

In 2023, Lenia Batres was proposed by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador as part of the shortlist to choose the figure who would replace Arturo Zaldívar after his resignation as a minister of the Court.

That shortlist was also made up of María Estela Ríos and Bertha Alcalde Luján, both close to the ruling party, however, Batres Guadarrama was appointed by the head of the Executive for a period of 15 years, but with the judicial reform, her term will now be nine years.

Lenia Batres took over as minister in 2023 following the resignation of Arturo Zaldívar. | Photo: Javier Ríos

What is Lenia Batres's career?

Lenia Batres holds a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and a doctorate in law. She holds diplomas in urban planning, electoral law, parliamentary law, political science, and public safety.

Her public career began in the late 1990s when she was a federal deputy in the 52nd legislature.

• From 2000 to 2002 she was the General Director of Legal Affairs and Government of the Cuauhtémoc Delegation in the then Federal District.

• From 2002 to 2004 she served as an advisor to Andrés Manuel López Obrador when he was Head of Government of the then Federal District.

From 2004 to 2006, she was Director General of Transportation Regulation at the Ministry of Transportation and Roads.

• From 2015 to 2018  she participated as an advisor to the Head of the Tlalpan Delegation, with the current president Claudia Sheinbaum.

Finally, she worked as an advisor to the Secretariat of Urban Development and Housing between 2019 and 2021.

Lenia and her siblings, Martí and Valentina Batres, have been active in leftist politics. | Photo: Javier Ríos

What were Lenia Batres's proposals?

In her candidate profile, Batres Guadarrama stated that she wanted to serve as minister to serve the people, since public service must solve the problems that prevent the exercise of rights.

Three main axes: 

Social Justice. No one can exercise individual rights and freedoms if their basic needs are not met. The judiciary must contribute to combating society's greatest injustice: inequality.

• Access to Justice. Organization of public defenders, human rights commissions, and attorney general's offices in the defense and representation of the general public to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to file a complaint or defend themselves in court.

Austerity. Prioritize the use of the budget for adequate justice services, both in infrastructure to serve the public and in the development of tools that facilitate access. Eradicate abuses and privileges for incumbents and high-ranking bureaucrats.