Hector Ulises Orduna assumed the role of mixed jurisdiction judge in Veracruz, even while under pre-trial confinement.
In a series of unprecedented events, Héctor Ulises Orduña Hernández was elected as a mixed jurisdiction judge in Poza Rica, Veracruz, on June 1, 2025. However, his victory has been clouded by controversy, as allegations of sexual abuse surfaced against him.
The alleged abuse occurred in 2021 inside a clinic in Poza Rica. Orduña was subsequently placed in preventive detention by the court as a precautionary measure. Despite these serious allegations, Orduña was nominated by the federal executive branch and went on to receive over 44,000 votes in Mexico's first-ever judicial elections.
The National Electoral Institute (INE) is currently reviewing the legality of Orduña's election, given the allegations against him. However, no clear evidence has emerged to confirm that a judge in Mexico's first-ever judicial elections was allowed to run while in preventive detention for alleged sexual abuse.
The controversy surrounding Orduña's election has sparked a wider debate about candidate selection in the judicial elections, with concerns about candidates with criminal records or ties to organised crime. The 2025 Mexican judicial elections faced criticism for these issues, but no specific case involving a judge running while detained for sexual abuse allegations was mentioned.
It is worth noting that in the 2025 Mexican judicial elections, individuals in preventive detention were excluded from voting according to official rules. The case continues to unfold as a troubling intersection of justice, politics, and public trust.
Meanwhile, unrelated to the judicial elections, local construction companies have stopped operating in Veracruz. Additionally, a crisis is unfolding on the US-Mexico border, with migrants piling up. In a tragic turn of events, three Cubans were killed and 16 injured in a car accident in Veracruz.
These events serve as a stark reminder of the complex challenges facing Mexico today, from political scandals to border crises and road safety concerns. As the investigation into Orduña's election continues, the nation waits with bated breath to see how this story will unfold.
The controversy surrounding Héctor Ulises Orduña Hernández's election as a mixed jurisdiction judge has raised concerns about candidate selection in the 2025 Mexican judicial elections, particularly in relation to candidates with criminal records or ties to organized crime. The lack of clear evidence to confirm Orduńa was allowed to run while in preventive detention for alleged sexual abuse has added fuel to this debate.
The allegations against Orduña and the scrutiny of his election have brought the intersection of politics, justice, and public trust into focus, exacerbating the complex challenges facing Mexico today.
