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By: Teodoro Rentería Arróyave, Journalist and Writer
In our Political Constitution and secondary laws, the delineation of powers among municipal, state, and federal governments is clearly defined. However, at times, some judges or ministers may lean towards positions conflicting with the ideology of the Presidency of the Republic, thus rendering verdicts that breach the established norms.
Our concern today doesn’t revolve around the age-old debate on the distribution of textbooks with alleged “communist content,” an issue we will delve into in future discussions. Instead, our focus lies on a recent corrective measure taken by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. This measure involves the rejection of an appeal put forth by the State of Chihuahua, which is governed by the opposition National Action Party (PAN). This appeal had caused weeks of delay in the distribution of textbooks to classrooms.
As reported by “El País,” the first chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice unanimously dismissed the constitutional dispute initiated by the Chihuahua government against the distribution of textbooks in public schools. This suspension had been initially granted by the far-right minister Luis María Aguilar in favor of the PAN-led government headed by María Eugenia Campos, preventing the timely distribution of educational materials.
The Court’s decision, authored by Minister Arturo Zaldívar, emphasized that the production and distribution of textbooks fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, with no individual state holding any such authority. This proposal garnered support from ministers Jorge Pardo, Margarita Ríos, Alfredo Gutiérrez, and Juan Luis González.
A similar appeal promoted by the Government of Coahuila, governed by another opposition party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), is yet to be addressed by the highest court. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that, for the sake of consistency, the Supreme Court will apply similar arguments regarding the Federalist system.
This resolution follows an appeal filed by the Legal Department of the Presidency against Minister Aguilar’s suspension. This week, María Estela Ríos, the head of the Ministry, personally presented arguments in support of her appeal at the Supreme Court’s headquarters. President López Obrador had already considered the judicial battle lost, given the ongoing disagreements between the executive branch and the Court.
In conclusion, as noted by “El País,” this controversial chapter in the Court’s history appears to be reaching its conclusion, marking one of the most challenging political crises between federal powers. The new textbooks, under the administration of the Ministry of Public Education (SEP), are now freely available in Chihuahua and will soon be accessible throughout the country, with only one state remaining on the horizon.
Journalist and writer; President of the National College of Journalism Graduates, CONALIPE; Secretary of Social Development of the Latin American Federation of Journalists, FELAP; Founding President and Honorary Lifetime Member of the Federation of Mexican Journalists’ Associations, FAPERMEX; Member of the Permanent Advisory Council of Club Primera Plana; Honorary Doctorate from the International University and Academic Member of the National Academy of History and Geography, ANHG. Your comments and critiques are welcome at teodororenteriaa@gmail.com. You can listen to us on the frequencies of Libertas Radio throughout the Republic. We invite you to visit: www.felap.info, www.ciap-felap.org, www.fapermex.org, and www.clubprimeraplana.org, as well as the news portal irradianoticias.com.
