A federal judiciary secretary in Mexicali has publicly accused a magistrate of sexual harassment, staging a protest outside the Federal Judiciary building on Wednesday with supporters carrying signs demanding justice.
Blanca Thalía Fernández Gamboa, a 17-year employee of the federal judiciary, named magistrate Isaías Corona Coronado of the Fourth Collegiate Tribunal of the Fifteenth Circuit as her alleged harasser. She says the harassment began in 2023 and has gone unresolved for nearly three years.
Six Months Without Pay
Fernández Gamboa told reporters she has gone six months without receiving her salary. She said she has suffered panic attacks since September 2025 as a result of the ordeal. The Fourth Collegiate Tribunal of the Fifteenth Circuit is a federal appellate court based in Mexicali that handles cases for the Baja California region.
The case first gained wider attention on May 10 when Excélsior, one of Mexico’s national newspapers, reported on Fernández Gamboa’s complaint. That report noted she had traveled from Mexicali to Mexico City to press her case before the Tribunal de Disciplina Judicial (Judicial Discipline Tribunal), the body responsible for investigating misconduct within the federal courts.
Ordered Back to Same Workplace
According to Fernández Gamboa, the Tribunal de Disciplina’s Violence Unit issued a communication acknowledging that sexual violence had occurred in the workplace. Yet the only precautionary measure ordered was for her to return to the same tribunal where Corona Coronado works. She called this response wholly inadequate and described the process as revictimizing.
Fernández Gamboa also alleged that Corona Coronado has promoted colleagues who might otherwise testify against him. She said at least one other victim exists, while other women chose to resign rather than file formal complaints.
Accountability Gaps in Federal Courts
The case comes during a period of significant upheaval in Mexico’s federal judiciary. In 2024, Mexico approved a constitutional reform requiring federal judges and magistrates to stand for popular election, a change that has reshaped the courts’ internal dynamics. The Tribunal de Disciplina Judicial itself is a relatively new oversight body created as part of broader judicial reform efforts.
No public response from Corona Coronado or the Fourth Collegiate Tribunal has been reported. Fernández Gamboa has vowed to continue pressing her case in Mexico City until disciplinary action is taken.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte and Excélsior.