Inspection, under the interest of senators

The effectiveness and scope in the control of the exercise of government of the federal Executive by the Congress of the Union and the control over the Judiciary, specifically through the Senate, depends on the level of involvement and interest of federal legislators to exercise their powers , summarizes a study by the Belisario Domínguez Institute of the Senate.

According to the analysis entitled “The power of control and supervision of the Senate of the Republic”, among the tools of “parliamentary control” that senators have to carry out their function of control, supervision, surveillance and review, the appointment, approval or ratification of different appointments proposed by the President of the Republic.

With regard to the Judiciary, the Lower House has the exclusive power to appoint, via ratification of the candidates proposed by the head of the federal Executive, ministers of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), and magistrates and magistrates of the Superior and regional chambers of the Electoral Court of the Federal Judiciary (TEPJF), Superior Agrarian Court, Unitary Agrarian Courts and of the Electoral Courts of the federative entities, and two members of the Federal Judicial Council (CJF). .

Article 89, section X of the Constitution, specifies the report, the direction of foreign policy and the celebration of international treaties is an obligation of the President of the Republic, but “its supervision and surveillance falls on the Senate of the Republic.”

In approving international treaties and diplomatic conventions signed by the Executive, he adds, the Senate’s objective is to verify their constitutionality, as well as take care of and learn about their internal legal implications.

“This process is essential as a control mechanism, since its approval creates a commitment of the country with other international actors. For the analysis and evaluation of international treaties, article 238 of the Senate Regulations indicates that compliance with the normative principles of Mexican foreign policy is taken care of, as well as national interest and security”, he quotes.

It details that, to fulfill its control function, both chambers of the Mexican Congress are empowered to create special investigative commissions in the management of some areas of the Federal Executive and that the Senate currently has four such commissions.

The analysis carried out by the researchers Perla Gris and Susana Ramírez concludes that “despite the changes and advances in the process of institutionalizing parliamentary oversight, its effectiveness and scope” depends “on the level of involvement that the Legislature has in this function and in the interest of reviewing government activity, regardless of its connection to political or partisan interests”.