I write these lines, dear readers, with three different recipients in mind. It is the week of the Democrats with a capital "D" because the convention of that party is being held in the U.S., where the current Vice President, Kamala Harris, and her running mate, Tim Walz, will be formally anointed as the presidential ticket.
It is also a crucial week for the lowercase democrats in the U.S. because the momentum they achieve will determine whether they can halt Donald Trump's presidential ambitions and possibly, in the process, clip the wings of the MAGA movement that aims to become the standard-bearer of the new American far-right.
But it's also a crucial week in Mexico, as two critical issues for the country's public life will be decided in the coming days: the electoral tribunal's ruling on the correct allocation of proportional representation legislators, and the debates and protests surrounding President López Obrador's proposed judicial reform.
Let's break it down: Yesterday, Monday, the Democratic National Convention kicked off in Chicago, coincidentally or historically in the same city where, in 1968, a sitting president decided not to run for re-election. Lyndon Johnson then, Joe Biden now; massive protests back then over the Vietnam War, and now, also significant, albeit smaller, demonstrations triggered by the escalating violence in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, specifically in Gaza.
Aside from that, we can say this convention is like a big party. After months of uncertainty and doubts about Joe Biden's candidacy viability, which just weeks ago seemed headed for a catastrophic defeat, it has now become a highly competitive campaign. If they manage to maintain momentum, they could very well defy the odds and, if lucky, even regain the majority in the House of Representatives.
You don't have to be a supporter of Harris to understand what's at stake in this election: Donald Trump is not just an impulsive and vindictive man; he has already demonstrated his deep contempt for the U.S. democratic process. Forewarned is forearmed.
In Mexico, other issues are at stake: The debate over whether or not there is overrepresentation in the Chamber of Deputies will have consequences, but in the end, it is a matter of interpretation that is, as it should be, in the hands of the electoral tribunal.
President López Obrador's proposed judicial reform would have much more immediate and severe consequences. It's unfortunate that the most serious and urgent issue facing Mexico, the construction of a genuine rule of law, is being sidelined by a sterile debate over whether judges and magistrates should be popularly elected and how.
The proposed judicial reform does not address the core issues of a deeply flawed justice system. Unfortunately, as with other reforms undertaken by the president, good intentions are not enough to compensate for the lack of planning, dialogue, and consensus-building.
Our judicial system urgently needs a reform to make it better. Unfortunately, this is not it.
BY GABRIEL GUERRA CASTELLANOS
GGUERRA@GCYA.NET
@GABRIELGUERRAC