President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico has severed diplomatic ties with the United States and Canada because of their criticism of his proposal to have judges elected by popular ballot. “There is a pause,” he announced on 27th August during his daily press conference over the comments made by American and Canadian embassies. However, he mentioned that the “pause” is with the embassies rather than the nations. He explained that the relations will be restored once the diplomats are “respectful of the independence of Mexico, of the sovereignty of our country.”
“How are we going to allow the US ambassador, with all due respect, because this not a matter of fighting, of hostility, but how are we going to allow him to (publically) opine that what we are doing is wrong? We are not going to tell him to leave the country, that’s not it. But yes, we have to read the constitution, which is like setting him straight,” he stated while talking to the media. “It’s good, but it’s on pause,” he replied to a query about the current status of the relationship with the US ambassador and added, “Since he made that declaration last week,” when asked about the timing of the development.
He then clarified that the two sides are giving time to each other. “I hoped, and from the US State Department because it’s not like he is acting by himself. What a coincidence that at the same time, they made the statement in Mexico, through the embassy, the Canadians put one out, which is just pitiful, with all due respect to the government of Canada. (Canada) looks like an associate state, both together,” the president conveyed as he took a jibe at the maple country. He charged that Canada’s declaration of concern about the proposal amounted to interference in an internal matter.
A journalist then questioned him about the possible reason behind their “joint action” to which he highlighted, “It is that they would like to interfere in matters that only correspond to Mexicans,” and further assured, “As long as I am here, we will not allow any violation of our sovereignty and I am leaving soon. There are thirty days left. But as long as I am here as President, I cannot allow our constitution to be violated.”
“We are going to take our time,” he stated cheekily earning laughter. “Hopefully, there will be a statement from them that they are going to be respectful of the independence of Mexico. As long as that doesn’t happen and they continue with that policy, then there is a pause with the embassy,” López Obrador reiterated. According to him, the reason for the pause with the US embassy is “because (the ambassador) is looking to talk with us.” He alleged, “It’s not personal, we’ve had a good, constructive relationship.”
The judicial reform proposal put forth by him is a component of a larger set of constitutional amendments which are yet to be approved. The motion was endorsed late on 26th August by a committee in the lower chamber of the Mexican Congress, opening the door for its approval when the newly elected Congress takes office in September. The proposal needs a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Congress to be implemented.
The reforms include a wide variety of issues including pensions and the energy industry and on the other hand they also include critical institutional and judicial changes, which detractors claim would erode the separation of powers and result in the elimination of some independent regulatory bodies. They argue the reform will stifle judges’ careers, tilt power in favour of the executive branch and augment the vulnerability of the courts to criminal influence while the supporters point out that the reform will strengthen democracy and help fix a system that they assert does not currently serve the public interest.
What prompted the decision
Notably, the president’s ambitious intentions to restructure the judiciary have been the source of months-long tensions in Mexico, upending the political establishment and putting pressure on diplomatic relations with the US. Last week, US Ambassador Ken Salazar called the reform a “major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy” and issued a warning about possible consequences for commercial relations between the two countries. The US and Mexico are each other’s top trading partners.
The three nations in North America have a significant trade connection that reached $1.8 trillion in 2022. “People’s direct election of judges is a major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy,” according to him. He alleged that judicial reforms should guarantee that the court would be strong and not “subject to the corruption of politics.” Graeme Clark, Canada’s ambassador to Mexico, also voiced alarm about the “disappearance” of several autonomous entities and cautioned investors about the proposed judicial reforms.
The US Embassy expressed its “desire to continue its close collaboration with Mexico” and its “utmost respect for Mexico’s sovereignty” in a statement after the president’s scathing comments, however, added, “The United States supports the concept of judicial reform in Mexico, but we have significant concerns that the popular election of judges would neither address judicial corruption nor strengthen the judicial branch of the Government of Mexico,” in a social media post. Salazar had earlier announced that he was willing to talk about other judicial models with officials in the Mexican government.
Concerns about judicial reform being a threat to “critical economic and security interests shared by our two nations,” including regional trade agreement, were echoed by multiple US politicians. A statement from the US Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee read, ” An independent and transparent judiciary is a hallmark of any democratic country. We are deeply concerned that the proposed judicial reforms in Mexico would undermine the independence and transparency of the country’s judiciary, jeopardizing critical economic and security interests shared by our two nations. We are also alarmed that several other constitutional reforms currently under discussion may contradict commitments made in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, which is scheduled for review in 2026.”
It further conveyed, “We strongly urge the López Obrador Administration, as well as the incoming Sheinbaum Administration, to pursue only those reforms that enhance professional qualifications, combat corruption, protect judicial autonomy, and strengthen investor confidence. These considerations are essential to preserving the democratic values and mutual prosperity that unite our nations.”
President-elect backs López Obrador
The constitutional reforms include eliminating several independent regulatory bodies and merging others that the government claims are duplicating functions. López Obrador intends to close the Institute for Personal Data Protection (INAI). In February, the regulatory body opened an inquiry against him following his revelation of a New York Times journalist’s private phone number. The president of Mexico has responded to opposition to his proposed reforms by stressing that his goal is “to establish constitutional rights and strengthen ideals and principles related to humanism, justice, honesty, austerity, and democracy.”
Meanwhile, Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena also endorsed López Obrador and noted that only Mexicans make decisions regarding Mexico. She did, however, restate that relationship with “friends and neighbours in North America” was a priority and continued to be “fluid and normal” on a daily basis. The president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, a close associate of López Obrador, has enthusiastically welcomed his judicial proposal. She told reporters, “There is this idea that with the judicial reform, the independence and autonomy of the judiciary is lost. It is the other way around.”
The modifications that López Obrador has proposed might be put to a vote by Mexico’s recently elected Congress as early as next week. If approved, they would replace the current appointment system in the judiciary, which mostly relies on specialized training and credentials, with one in which virtually anybody with a law degree and some experience might run for election to become a judge. The proposal might result in the dismissal of almost 5,000 judges from lower courts, including the Supreme Court and local district courts. Nationwide strikes have already been initiated by thousands of federal judges and court employees. In an effort to draw attention to what they described as an attack on the judiciary, demonstrators took to the streets on 25th August in more than 20 Mexican towns.
“The judiciary is hopeless, it is rotten,” he emphasised when he initially unveiled his plans for reform and highlighted, “It is completely at the service of the conservative bloc,” while referring to his political rivals. The reform, he contends, is necessary to stop corruption and decisions that liberate drug dealers. The current Congress has a month to approve dozens of proposed constitutional changes, including the president’s plan to elect judges and justices by popular vote, while López Obrador is still in office, as his term ends in October. Notably, the ruling party, Morena, and its allies have secured large majorities in both houses.
Notably, the president has used the term previously when declared a diplomatic halt to relations with Spain in 2022 because of a disagreement with energy firms. At the time, López Obrador described the pause as “nothing more than a respectful and fraternal protest against the abuses and grievances committed against the people of Mexico and our country,” instead of as “a break in relations” with Spain.
