Controversy Erupts Over Mexico's Inaugural Judicial Elections

Mexico's electoral authority has launched an investigation into accusations that political groups, including the ruling Morena party, are attempting to influence voters ahead of the landmark judicial elections, an official confirmed on Monday.

This Sunday, Mexicans will cast their votes to elect more than 840 federal judges and magistrates from a pool of roughly 5,000 candidates. These are the nation's first-ever judicial elections, with strict electoral rules prohibiting candidates from showing political affiliations or accepting any form of donations.

Claudia Zavala, an adviser for the election body INE, said they are probing incidents involving political parties allegedly persuading civil servants to sway voter turnout and distribute candidate pamphlets, with videos fueling the claims on social media. INE aims to uphold voter autonomy and pass any findings of misconduct to the judiciary's electoral tribunal.

(With inputs from agencies.)