In a week packed with political milestones and heated debate, President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government marked its first anniversary with a series of bold reforms and high-profile endorsements from her party, Morena, both in Oaxaca and on the national stage. The events, which unfolded between September 20 and 21, 2025, showcased Sheinbaum’s ambitious vision for Mexico—one that aims to tackle inequality, modernize the justice system, and root out entrenched political practices like nepotism and consecutive reelection.
During her visit to Oaxaca on September 20, President Sheinbaum received a resounding show of support from the state’s Morena parliamentary group. According to La Crónica de Hoy, party legislators praised her administration for its commitment to building a “more just, democratic, free, and sovereign Mexico,” emphasizing that Sheinbaum has put the people at the heart of her political agenda. They credited the so-called “Fourth Transformation” for lifting 13.5 million Mexicans out of poverty over the past six years—a feat they attribute to increases in the minimum wage and a dramatic expansion of social programs.
“We have a President who works every day to build a fairer Mexico, who has broken barriers that seemed impossible to overcome for centuries, and who is driving a new economic model that guarantees macroeconomic stability and shared prosperity,” the Morena group asserted, as reported by La Crónica de Hoy.
Oaxaca itself has become a focal point for federal investment, with more than 37 billion pesos funneled into social programs targeting health, education, children, youth, women, and historically marginalized communities. The government’s efforts extend into public security, infrastructure, and major projects like the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), a flagship initiative designed to spur economic growth in southern Mexico. Upcoming projects announced by Sheinbaum include the Pension for Women, the “Rita Cetina” Universal Scholarship for Basic Education, and the “Health House to House” program, all aimed at supporting those most in need and stimulating grassroots economic development.
But Sheinbaum’s government is not just about social investment. This week also saw the unveiling of a sweeping judicial reform package, sent to the Senate for debate and approval. The reforms, strongly backed by Morena’s Senate caucus, are designed to modernize Mexico’s justice system and address long-standing issues of inefficiency and impunity. Senator Antonino Morales Toledo, a key voice in the debate, emphasized that the proposals “respect and strengthen human rights” and are intended to ensure “prompt and expedited justice, as mandated by our Constitution.”
According to La Crónica de Hoy, the reform package includes measures to set maximum deadlines for different stages of the amparo trial—a legal mechanism that has often been criticized for enabling powerful interests to evade justice through endless delays. “For a long time, the amparo was distorted and became an instrument of impunity, allowing major interests to avoid their responsibilities,” Morales Toledo stated. The reforms also aim to harmonize criteria for crimes that warrant automatic preventive detention, clarify rules for suspensions, and introduce a fully digital amparo system to make legal processes more accessible and transparent.
Other features of the reform include fiscal certainty provisions to prevent large debtors from abusing the amparo to indefinitely delay tax payments, and new protections for judges and legal operators to safeguard their security and independence. “The ultimate purpose of these reforms is to guarantee that public funds—resources that should translate into works and services for the population—are not diminished by dilatory practices,” Morales Toledo explained.
While the judicial reforms have drawn criticism from opposition parties, who warn they could limit access to legal defense and human rights, Morena senators have pushed back, insisting that the changes will strengthen—not weaken—individual protections and the rule of law. Morales Toledo called on all parliamentary groups to approach the proposals with seriousness and work together to pass laws that “strengthen our rule of law and benefit all Mexicans.”
Amid these legislative battles, Sheinbaum found herself at the center of another contentious issue: the timing of a new constitutional ban on nepotism and consecutive reelection. On September 21, as reported by La Jornada, Sheinbaum publicly stated that the prohibition should take effect in 2027, even though the final constitutional reform—approved by the Senate—delays enforcement until 2030. The delay, she explained, was the result of political negotiation needed to secure a broad coalition in Congress. Still, she urged members of her own party not to nominate family members for public office starting in 2027, warning, “Anyone who does so in 2027 will look very bad, honestly.”
Sheinbaum’s position is rooted in her campaign promises to eliminate both nepotism and consecutive reelection. “The important thing for Mexicans is that starting in 2030, no family members can hold consecutive elected positions, and there will be no more reelection for municipal presidents, deputies, or senators at any level,” she said. Sheinbaum also stressed that the statutes of Morena already prohibit such practices, and she expects the party to uphold these principles even before the constitutional deadline.
The implications of the reform’s delayed implementation are significant. Politicians like Félix Salgado, Saúl Monreal, and Ruth Miriam González—who have family members currently serving as governors—could still seek gubernatorial candidacies in 2027. Sheinbaum acknowledged that this outcome was not ideal, but framed it as a necessary compromise: “Politics is sometimes about choosing between what’s convenient and what’s not. Sometimes it’s not what you want, but what can be achieved.”
Despite the challenges, Sheinbaum remains optimistic that the reforms will be ratified by state congresses and the Chamber of Deputies, cementing a new era of political ethics in Mexico. She reiterated her belief that the public strongly opposes the practice of handing political office from one family member to another, declaring, “If someone tries to leave a family member in charge or have a relative as the candidate, people will see it very badly.”
As Sheinbaum’s administration enters its second year, the stakes could hardly be higher. With ambitious social programs underway, judicial reforms on the table, and a push to end nepotism and reelection, the president is betting that her vision of a more equitable, transparent, and democratic Mexico will resonate with voters and lawmakers alike. Whether these efforts will deliver the lasting change she promises remains to be seen, but for now, the momentum behind the Fourth Transformation shows no sign of slowing.
