Mexico has sent a diplomatic note to the United States protesting its neighbor’s “interference” in its internal affairs over a proposed domestic judicial reform, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday.
This came after US Ambassador Ken Salazar expressed concerns that the change would undermine investor confidence and pose risks to Mexico’s democracy.
The proposal aims to introduce popular voting for judges and magistrates.
Mexico is one of the United States’ largest trading partners under their free trade agreement with Canada.
Lopez Obrador said the ambassador’s statement “represents an unacceptable act of interference” that violates Mexico’s sovereignty.
US Ambassador Ken Salazar had expressed concerns about the proposed change, which could pose “a major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy”.
He also said it would make it easier for cartels and other bad actors to take advantage of inexperienced judges.
Salazar wrote on X that his concerns were made in a spirit of collaboration.
Canada’s ambassador to Mexico, Graeme Clark, expressed investor unease over the proposed judicial reform during a meeting with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Thursday.
“My investors are concerned, they want stability and a judicial system that works if there are problems,” he said.
Mexico’s judiciary is independent, but the proposed change aims to introduce popular voting for judges.
The judicial reform proposal will be put before Mexico’s ruling party-controlled legislature on September 1.
It has the support of Mexico’s incoming president, Claudia Sheinbaum.
Source: Barrows
