Mexico president decries US critique of judicial reform as 'interventionist'

By Ana Isabel Martinez

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico's president on Friday blasted the U.S. ambassador's criticism of his judicial reform bill as disrespectful, pointing to what he called a long history of "interventionist policy" across the Americas led by the U.S.

Outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has made passage of the judicial overhaul a top priority in his final weeks in office. Under the controversial measure, judges would be elected by popular vote.

On Thursday, U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar labeled the proposal a threat to Mexican democracy, saying it would make the judiciary vulnerable to influence from organized crime groups and put the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship at risk.

The comments are the strongest to date by Mexico's largest trading partner and represent a significant ratcheting up of tensions between the two countries over the issue.

At his regular morning press conference, Lopez Obrador strenuously defended his reform, set for a congressional vote in September during his final month in office. He argued it would help Mexican judges combat corruption and clean up what he often derides as corrupt elements within the judiciary.

The president's leftist Morena party and its allies won sweeping congressional majorities in June's general election, likely giving them the two-thirds vote needed to write the reform into the country's constitution.

"There has been ... a lack of respect of our sovereignty, like this unfortunate, reckless statement from Ambassador Ken Salazar yesterday," said Lopez Obrador.

"We don't accept any representative of foreign governments intervening in affairs that only correspond to us," he added.

Salazar responded on Friday, saying on X that his comments had been "in the spirit of collaboration" and that he was open to meeting with Mexican leaders to discuss the subject.

Mexico's incoming Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard on Friday also said the proposed reform would not harm trade ties between the two neighbors, including an upcoming review of the trilateral USMCA trade pact with Canada in 2026.

"What are you talking about?" he quipped in English, before switching to Spanish. "Don't threaten us with that."

Ebrard will head up trade negotiations when President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum takes office in October.

Ebrard accused Salazar of hypocrisy, noting that many judges in the U.S. are elected. Still, U.S. Supreme Court justices and other federal judges are appointed.

The proposal in Mexico is that all Supreme Court justices be elected via a vote next year, as well as half of magistrates and judges. Another vote for remaining positions would be held in 2027.

(Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez; Additional reporting by Kylie Madry; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by David Alire Garcia, Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio)