Mexican Congress votes to remove politicians’ legal immunity

MEXICO CITY – The lower house of Mexico’s Congress has voted to remove the immunity from prosecution protection from every public office in the country.

The measure was approved without opposition and basically abolishes the impeachment process for officials except the president.

Governors, mayors, lawmakers and judges could all be automatically put on trial once indicted, but would be allowed to stay in office and not be jailed until convicted.

Under the constitutional changes approved Thursday, the president could be tried while in office but only after a vote in Congress. According to current law, the president can be impeached and tried but only for a limited number of very serious offences like treason.

“This bill will put an end to the impunity that prevails in Mexico’s political circles,” said Congressman Jesus Alvarez Lopez of the leftist Morena party.

The measure must be approved by the Senate and pass the state legislatures in at least 17 of the country’s 31 states and Mexico City.

The change may have its biggest impact on state governors, many of whom have been put on trial for corruption but only after leaving office.

Members of congress, prosecutors and supreme court justices had already lost their immunity under previous reforms.