Court, racism, and controversy: Sheinbaum lashes out at the SCJN

In its last session of the second chamber, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) made a decision that lit a political fuse: ordering the removal from textbooks of references to racist expressions attributed to Lorenzo Córdova , former president of the INE.

For President Claudia Sheinbaum , this resolution is not an isolated incident, but rather the symbolic closing of a judicial cycle that, she said, has been marked by the release of criminals , the usurpation of legislative functions , and, now, institutional racism .

Without further question, Sheinbaum ordered the playback of an audio recording Lorenzo Córdova had with the then-executive secretary of the INE, Edmundo Jacobo Molina. In that call, Córdova mocked the accent of an indigenous leader.

"The first thing that should have happened was a public apology. There wasn't one. A lot of hypocrisy: they talk about democracy, but they tolerate racism," he complained.

The president recalled that, at that time, Córdova headed the INE, an institution that should protect democracy and defend the rights of indigenous peoples .

According to Sheinbaum, Córdova's example was included in textbooks so that future generations would understand that no authority can discriminate against a citizen.

"Public education must make it clear that there can be no racism, classism, or any form of discrimination in Mexico," he stated.

For Sheinbaum, this Court ruling is further proof of why her administration pushed for judicial reform . Although she did not confirm whether there will be a legal appeal against the decision, she said the Legal Counsel is already analyzing the options.

This is no small matter: the Fourth Transformation (4T) is engaged in an open political battle with the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN) over cases such as the release of high-profile inmates and resolutions that have halted key executive branch initiatives.

In this case, the background is not only legal, but also cultural and symbolic : the debate is about whether a state power can erase a documented fact from a textbook because of its racist implications.

The discussion will inevitably move into the public eye and onto social media, where the Córdova case and the Court's position will be a topic of conversation in the coming days. At the same time, Sheinbaum and her allies could use the episode as a banner to reinforce the discourse on the need for a judiciary that is "closer to the people."