Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has announced a temporary freeze on relations with the US and Canadian embassies in Mexico, citing interference in the country’s internal affairs. The move comes in response to public statements from the US and Canadian ambassadors, who expressed concerns about Lopez Obrador’s proposed judicial reform.
The reform, which aims to introduce yearly elections for all federal judges, has been met with opposition from the diplomatic community, with US Ambassador Ken Salazar and Canadian Ambassador Graeme Clark warning that it could undermine the independence of the judiciary. Salazar, a former lawyer and politician, emphasized the importance of an independent judicial body in a democratic system, citing his own experience in the field.
Lopez Obrador’s response was swift, with the president accusing the diplomats of overstepping their bounds and disrespecting Mexico’s sovereignty. “They need to learn to respect our country’s autonomy,” he said during a morning press conference. The president emphasized that the move was not an expulsion, but rather a pause in relations until the diplomats learned to refrain from interfering in Mexico’s internal affairs.
The proposed judicial reform has been a contentious issue in Mexico, with many scholars and politicians warning that it could lead to corruption and cartel influence in the judiciary. The reform has also sparked a strike by sitting judges, who argue that it would undermine their independence. Despite the opposition, Lopez Obrador’s MORENA party has continued to push forward with the measure.
