Mexican president announces relations ‘pause’ with US and Canadian embassies after criticism

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced a "pause" in relations with the United States and Canadian embassies over their criticisms of his plans to overhaul the judicial system.

The Mexican and U.S. governments have been in low-level conflict for months over the Mexican president's desire to overhaul the country's judicial system, a move that would contradict commitments made in a 2020 trade agreement with the U.S.

Concerns from the U.S. culminated in a public comment from U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, which was met with a rebuke from Lopez Obrador at a Tuesday news conference.

“Hopefully, there will be a statement from them that they are going to be respectful of the independence of Mexico,” he said of the U.S., the New York Times reported . “As long as that doesn’t happen and they continue with that policy, then there is a pause with the Embassy.”

“‘Pause' means that we are going to take a break,” Lopez Obrador continued.

He added that the pause would extend to the State Department as well.

The Mexican president reignited concerns by saying that overall relations with the U.S. and Mexico wouldn't be affected but that the northern neighbor had to respect Mexico's "sovereignty."

The scuffle was the result of a statement posted by Salazar on X, in which he directly came out against the judicial reform that would result in the popular election of judges.

"Based on my lifelong experience supporting the rule of law, I believe popular direct election of judges is a major risk to the functioning of Mexico's democracy," he said. "Any judicial reform should have the right kinds of safeguards that will ensure the judicial branch will be strengthened and not subject to the corruption of politics."

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"I also think that the debate over the direct election of judges in these times, as well as the fierce politics if the elections for judges in 2025 and 2027 were to be approved, will threaten the historic trade relationship we have built, which relies on investors' confidence in Mexico's legal framework," the ambassador added. "Direct elections would also make it easier for cartels and other bad actors to take advantage of politically motivated and inexperienced judges."

Following the Mexican president's announcement of the freezing of relations, the U.S. Embassy released another statement, saying that it respects Mexico's sovereignty and judicial reform but questions the viability of the popular election of judges.