Mexico president blames Supreme Court docket plagiarism debacle on political scheming

MEXICO CITY, Jan 12 (Reuters) – Mexico’s president mentioned Thursday that plagiarism allegations plaguing one among Mexico’s prime judges had been born out of political scheming by his opponents, a day after the decide’s alma mater mentioned she copied “a considerable half” of her thesis.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador solid doubt on the decision, and criticized the Nationwide Autonomous College of Mexico (UNAM), one among Latin America’s most prestigious universities, for failing to rule if the decide’s diploma was now void.

“No matter plagiarism… whether or not it was carried out or not… This challenge is carefully linked to politics,” he mentioned at a each day information convention.

He mentioned it was hypocritical that his political opponents had been now “flying the flag for ethics”, although burdened that plagiarism was at all times unacceptable and that the schooling ministry would now take over to resolve the case.

Justice Yasmin Esquivel has been embroiled within the controversy since December when native information outlet Latinus printed claims she had plagiarized her 1987 thesis from one other scholar, as she stood as a candidate to grow to be the brand new head of the nation’s prime court docket.

Esquivel, who has repeatedly denied the accusations, misplaced a vote at the beginning of the month to justice Norma Pina, who grew to become Mexico’s first feminine Supreme Court docket president.

The college ruled Wednesday that Esquivel had copied from one other scholar’s work offered a yr earlier after an prolonged probe by a tutorial integrity committee.

The president had previously sidestepped questions on whether or not Esquivel needs to be faraway from her put up, and final month lashed out at these criticizing Esquivel.

“All of those that are asking for the justice to be punished have dedicated worse crimes,” he mentioned.

Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez, Writing by Isabel Woodford; modifying by Stephen Eisenhammer and David Gregorio

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