Background on the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN)
The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) is Mexico’s highest court, responsible for interpreting the Constitution and ensuring that all laws comply with it. Comprised of five female ministers and four male ministers, the SCJN was elected by popular vote for the first time in Mexico’s history on September 1, 2022. Their primary campaign promise was to reduce the expenses of the Poder Judicial de la Federación (PJF), or the Federal Judicial Power.
Controversy Over Luxury Vehicles
On Thursday, the SCJN announced the acquisition of nine luxury armoured vehicles, each valued at nearly three million pesos. The decision sparked controversy when images of these vehicles were shared on social media by netizens. The ministers, who had argued for cutting PJF expenses during their campaign, faced criticism for this apparent contradiction.
SCJN’s Response and Rationale
In response to the public outcry, the SCJN issued a statement explaining their decision. They mentioned that the vehicle replacement was motivated by security concerns, as the existing vehicles no longer met adequate safety standards. The new acquisition was deemed necessary for the personal security and integrity of high-responsibility institutional roles, adhering to applicable norms.
Government Intervention and Financial Analysis
Following the controversy, Mexico City’s Chief of Government, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, requested information from the Organismo de Administración Judicial (OAJ) and the SCJN regarding the vehicle acquisition. Through the Secretaría de Gobernación, she was informed that purchasing the vehicles instead of renting them would save over a billion pesos.
The OAJ further explained that, between 2022 and 2025, the former Consejo de la Judicatura Federal (CJF), Tribunal Electoral del Poder Judicial de la Federación (TEPJF), and SCJN operated under a leasing scheme for 445 vehicles. Had this arrangement continued, it would have cost approximately 366.2 million pesos annually. To avoid these expenses, the OAJ opted to invest 252 million pesos in late 2025 for the purchase of 571 vehicles, projecting an estimated annual saving of 1,098 million pesos from 2026 to 2028.
Ministers’ Decision
In light of the public reaction and financial analysis, the SCJN ministers decided not to use the luxury armoured vehicles. They plan to either return them or make them available to judges facing greater risks, while adhering to relevant regulations.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN)? The SCJN is Mexico’s highest court, responsible for interpreting the Constitution and ensuring that all laws comply with it. It consists of five female ministers and four male ministers, elected by popular vote in September 2022.
- Why were luxury armoured vehicles purchased by the SCJN controversial? The controversy arose when images of these expensive vehicles, valued at nearly three million pesos each, were shared on social media. Critics argued that this decision contradicted the ministers’ campaign promise to reduce PJF expenses.
- What was the SCJN’s response to the public outcry? The SCJN explained that the vehicle replacement was motivated by security concerns, as existing vehicles no longer met adequate safety standards. They emphasized that the new acquisition was necessary for the personal security and integrity of high-responsibility institutional roles.
- How did the government react to the controversy? Mexico City’s Chief of Government, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, requested information from the Organismo de Administración Judicial (OAJ) and the SCJN regarding the vehicle acquisition. She was informed that purchasing the vehicles instead of renting them would save over a billion pesos.
- What was the financial analysis provided by the OAJ? The OAJ explained that, between 2022 and 2025, the former CJF, TEPJF, and SCJN operated under a leasing scheme for 445 vehicles. Had this arrangement continued, it would have cost approximately 366.2 million pesos annually. To avoid these expenses, the OAJ opted to invest 252 million pesos in late 2025 for the purchase of 571 vehicles, projecting an estimated annual saving of 1,098 million pesos from 2026 to 2028.
- What decision did the SCJN ministers ultimately make? In response to public reaction and financial analysis, the SCJN ministers decided not to use the luxury armoured vehicles. They plan to either return them or make them available to judges facing greater risks, while adhering to relevant regulations.
