US asks Mexico to ensure judicial reform respects T-MEC agreements

Undersecretary of State Brian Nichols believes that “judicial transparency is vital for foreign investors.”

WASHINGTON, DC.- Under Secretary of State Brian Nichols told the U.S. Congress that Mexico’s judicial reforms must preserve transparency, as well as respect and maintain legal protections for the investments of its partners, especially those of the T-MEC.

At a hearing of the House Foreign Relations Committee, the official answered questions from lawmakers about the anticipated judicial reform in Mexico and its impact on investments by U.S. companies during the next government of the virtual president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum.

How do you anticipate that the proposed judicial changes will affect the treatment of the United States in Mexico? asked the Republican representative of Arizona, Gregg Stanton.

“Obviously Mexico is a sovereign country and has procedures that they can use to change their legal framework. We believe that judicial transparency is vital for all investors, whether they are national, Mexican or international investors, particularly those from the United States and Canada as T-MEC partners,” Nichols responded.

“We will continue to insist that, whatever the future legal regime in Mexico, all signatories of the USMCA respect the foreign investment protection provisions contained in that agreement,” Nichols stressed.

Legislator Greg Stanton noted the review of the USMCA in 2026 and noted that Mexico “has a lot to do” to overcome the challenges that allow it to take advantage of nearshoring. “It needs to open its energy policy and curb the cartels,” he said.

Nichols reminded him that Mexico is one of the main recipients of foreign direct investment in the world. “President-elect Sheinbaum is a scientist who has worked in one of the laboratories of the United States Department of Energy and we believe that we have a persuasive case if we demonstrate with data, scientifically, the importance of her issues.”

Also present at the hearing were Michael Camilleri, Deputy Administrator of the Agency for International Development’s Office for Latin America, and Todd Robinson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, who indicated that the United States will seek to expand areas of cooperation with its Mexican counterparts, including working with Mexican regulators and public health agencies to confront the challenge of illicit synthetic drugs from all angles.

Source: elfinanciero