Forensic experts join the judicial strike; this is what they demand amid the crisis.

MEXICO CITY ( Proceso ).- The crisis in the administration of justice in Mexico City worsened with the work stoppage called on June 12 by public defenders of the Legal Counsel and Legal Services Department, as well as with the protests led by workers of the Forensic Investigation and Expert Services Coordination of the Attorney General's Office of Mexico City (FGJCDMX).

In addition, members of the Institute of Forensic Services and Sciences of the Judiciary of Mexico City (Incifo) suspended work in solidarity with the strike that has been ongoing for six months by workers at the Superior Court of Justice of Mexico City (TSJCDMX).

The protests by forensic experts and public defenders reflect accumulated demands on different fronts of Mexico City's judicial system. Although they belong to different institutions, all of the aforementioned workers play a fundamental role in the administration of justice and share common demands: salary increases, decent working conditions, and sufficient staff. The demonstrations are a symptom of the magnitude of a problem that has caused delays in hearings and in the follow-up of cases, directly affecting citizens' access to justice.

On Thursday the 12th, at the offices of the Mexico City Attorney General's Office, located in the Doctores neighborhood of the Cuauhtémoc municipality, Forensic Services workers protested, demanding a salary increase and denouncing unjustified deductions from their pay.

They also gathered outside the Institute of Forensic Services and Sciences (Incifo), part of the Superior Court of Justice of Mexico City, where they held a symbolic closure and described to the media the working conditions they are subjected to, with no pay raises for "10 or 15 years" and unfair working hours.

Chanting "United experts will never be defeated!" they pointed out that they lack the resources and personnel to carry out their work and serve the public. They also demanded that authorities and commanders meet ethical standards and possess knowledge in their respective fields.

According to media reports, specialists in various fields, such as forensics and criminalistics, face excessive workloads and workplace abuse, leading them to demand the resignation of the area's coordinator, María Seberina Ortega.

Expert witnesses play an important role in the administration of justice in Mexico City, providing technical and scientific knowledge to clarify facts and evidence in judicial proceedings.

Discontent of public defenders

While professionals from INCIFO and the local Prosecutor's Office demonstrated at their respective agencies' headquarters, employees of the civic courts and the General Directorate of Legal Services and Public Defender's Office—public defenders—at the capital's Superior Court of Justice simultaneously demonstrated at various points in the city center.

Like the experts, they demanded salary increases and reported excessive workloads, a lack of material and technological resources, and workplace harassment.

The Traffic Orientation Center (OVIAL) of the Ministry of Citizen Security (SSC) reported the progress of protesters on 20 de Noviembre Avenue and Izazaga, toward the Zócalo in Mexico City.

The legal defenders blocked traffic on San Antonio Abad Road near Lorenzo Bouturini and headed toward the Lázaro Cárdenas Central Axis to continue making their demands.

The discontent of legal advocates and experts contributes to the delays in the administration of justice caused by the work stoppage initiated by workers at the Mexico City Supreme Court (TSJ) on May 29, with the closure of the courts and family courtrooms located on Avenida Juárez.

Since then, cases have been mounting in the Mexican capital from citizens seeking access to justice and encountering delays in the proceedings.

The tip of the iceberg

Luis Sánchez is the head of the law firm Larrea Sánchez Jasso y Colón. He is a litigator and has practiced criminal law, so the situation in the Mexico City Judiciary (PJCDMX) directly affects him, his employees, and those he legally represents.

On May 31, he shared with this media his assessment of the conditions of justice administration in the capital and referred to the CDMX Supreme Court as a collapsed machine.

Now, in an interview with Proceso , he once again offers an analysis of the recent protests and work stoppages. He emphasizes the existence of "major structural flaws" and attributes much of the cause to the "already perpetual" discontent of court workers, recalling that in 2024, a nearly three-month strike was held to protest the reform of the judiciary. He also mentions that last February, court workers intermittently suspended their activities to demand the same demands they still maintain and that, almost five months later, they have yet to reach an agreement with the competent authorities of the capital's government and the local judiciary.

Sánchez is clear about the implications: “It's a self-answering question. If I bring a lawsuit of any kind, the mere fact that a court is closed means that my litigation will be delayed. Economically, socially, and for the family, it's tragic.”

And he adds: “It is evident that we are facing the tip of the iceberg of a looming debacle (...) it affects me, who works as a private defender, but the dimension is profound and social, it also affects public defenders, workers at all levels, mothers who are in custody lawsuits regarding their children, victims of all types of crimes, any citizen who in the future must seek access to justice.”