Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza

Eduardo Tomás Medina-Mora Icaza (Mexico City; 30 January 1957) is a Mexican lawyer. He served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Mexico from 10 March 2015 to 8 October 2019, when the Mexican Senate approved his resignation following a now closed investigation by the country's Financial Intelligence Unit.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Medina-Mora and the second or maternal family name is Icaza.

Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza
Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation
In office
10 March 2015 – 3 October 2019[1]
Appointed byEnrique Peña Nieto
Preceded bySergio Armando Valls
Succeeded byMargarita Ríos Farjat
Mexican Ambassador to the United States
In office
14 January 2013 – 10 March 2015
PresidentEnrique Peña Nieto
Preceded byArturo Sarukhán
Succeeded byAlejandro Estivill (Acting)
Attorney General (Mexico)
In office
1 December 2006 – 7 September 2009
PresidentFelipe Calderón
Preceded byDaniel Cabeza de Vaca
Succeeded byArturo Chávez Chávez
Secretary of Public Security of Mexico
In office
28 September 2005 – 30 November 2006
PresidentVicente Fox
Preceded byRamón Martín Huerta
Succeeded byGenaro García Luna
Personal details
Born (1957-01-30) 30 January 1957
Mexico City[2]
Alma materNational Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
OccupationLawyer

Medina-Mora was the Attorney General of Mexico (PGR) under President Felipe Calderón (1 December 2006-7 September 2009).[3]

Political career

Prior to his Supreme Court Appointment and subsequent resignation, Medina-Mora also served Ambassador of Mexico to the United States (2013–15), ambassador to the United Kingdom, Attorney General in the cabinet of the former President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón (2006–09),[4] headed the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection (2005–06) under former President of Mexico Vicente Fox.,[2] and as the director of the now defunct National Center for Intelligence and Security from (2000–05).[2]

After a nine-year career in intelligence and security, President Calderon appointed Medina-Mora as Mexico's Ambassador to the United Kingdom; Medina-Mora was confirmed by the Senate on 12 November 2009 with 84 votes in his favour and 7 abstentions. No votes against his designation were received.[5]

On 23 February 2010, Medina-Mora presented his credentials to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace accrediting him as Mexico's representative to the United Kingdom. The Ambassador attended the ceremony accompanied by his wife, Laura and officials from the Mexican Embassy.[6]

Medina-Mora was the Mexico's Ambassador in the United States presenting his credentials to President Barack Obama on 14 January 2013. He is also a member of the advisory board for the Mexico Institute.

On 10 March 2015, he was elected as Minister of the Mexican Nation's Supreme Court of Justice. He resigned as Ambassador of Mexico to the United States that same day. On 3 October, 2019, Justice Medina-Mora Icaza resigned from the National Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN) after it was revealed he is under investigation by the country's Financial Intelligence Unit. In his time on the bench, Medina-Mora was a strong advocate for business interests, but also for the legalization of medical cannabis.[7] He also voted to decriminalize abortion in cases of rape.[8]

Top Gear controversy

Following a broadcast of the television programme Top Gear on 30 January 2011, during which the presenters made several derogatory slurs depicting a stereotypical portrayal of Mexican culture and people, Medina-Mora wrote to the BBC about comments made by Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson and James May about himself and Mexico, demanding a public apology from the BBC.

Eligibility controversy

Medina-Mora has been seen as close to the Mexican right-wing PAN party, because he started to work as government official after being designated by the first PAN president of Mexico, Vicente Fox, and continued in to work in key government positions during that government and during Fox successor, president Felipe Calderon, also a PAN party affiliate.

Controversy arose regarding his bad reputation and eligibility as Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice for resigning as Ambassador to Mexico in the United States the same day he got elected as Minister because the Mexican Constitution stipulates in Article 95 that to be eligible as Minister you need to reside in the country for the past two years.[9]

Additionally, his credentials were heavily criticized by Mexican scholars and Twitter campaigns appeared with the hashtag "#NoHaganMinistroaMedinaMora" ("Do not make Medina Mora Minister").[10]

References
  1. Jude Webber; Alan Herández (3 October 2019). "Mexican Supreme Court judge resigns on corruption probe". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 15 January 2023.
  2. "Eduardo Medina Mora". Presidencia de la República (Mexico). 22 January 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  3. "Este fue el gabinete de Felipe Calderón". www.capitalmexico.com.mx (in Spanish). Capital México. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  4. Barrera, Adriana; O'Boyle, Michael (7 September 2009). "Mexico removes attorney general to revamp drug war". Reuters. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  5. "Senators vote for Medina Mora" (PDF). 12 November 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2009.
  6. "H.M. Queen Elizabeth II received the Letters of Credence of Ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora" (PDF). 5 November 2010.
  7. "Alista SCJN discusión para uso medicinal de la mariguana". Azteca Noticias. 7 August 2019.
  8. "Avalan abortos en todo el País por embarazos producto de violaciones". Periódico AM.
  9. "Constitucionalistas difieren sobre elegibilidad de Medina Mora en SCJN". www.elfinanciero.com.mx.
  10. "Pese a críticas, el Senado elige a Medina Mora como ministro de la Corte". Expansión. 11 March 2015.
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