Mexico Freezes Relations With US And Mexican Embassys In The Aftermath Of Criticism Of Reform Proposal

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. (Wikimedia Commons/EneasMx)

JAKARTA - The Mexican government has frozen ties with the US and Canadian Embassys in the country, said President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, after ambassadors of the two countries criticized his proposed judicial reforms.

"There is a pause," President Lopez Obrador told a news conference, clarifying the freeze was carried out with the embassy and not with the relevant countries.

Earlier, President Lopez Obrador pushed for reforms to elect judges, including Supreme Court judges, through the people's vote.

A committee at the lower house of the Mexican Congress passed the proposal on Monday evening, paving the way for approval when the newly elected Congress took office in September.

Supporters say the reform will boost democracy and help improve systems that they think do not serve the public.

Meanwhile, critics say it will distort power in the interests of the executive, cut off the judge's career and make the court more vulnerable to criminal influences.

US Ambassador Ken televised last week calling the reform "a major risk to the functioning of Mexican democracy", warning of potential risks to US-Mexico trade relations.

President Lopez Obrador criticized what he called intervening in internal politics.

"How are we going to let the ambassador give his opinion, to say what we did wrong?" President Lopez Obrador said.

"We will not tell him to leave this country. However, so that he reads our constitution, yes, we will say it," he said.

Later, after President Lopez Obrador's comments, Ambassador totaled a diplomatic note from the embassy, dated August 23.

"The United States supports the concept of judicial reform in Mexico, but we have great concerns that direct judge elections will not address judicial corruption or strengthen the Mexican government's judicial branches," the memorandum read.

A diplomatic note from the US said the country had "as much respect for Mexico's sovereignty."

Ambassador totaling earlier said he was open to speaking with Mexican government leaders to discuss various judicial models.

Meanwhile, Canadian Ambassador to Mexico, Graeme Clark, also warned of investment concerns.

The Canadian Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

President Lopez Obrador said the "twice" would continue until "there was confirmation that (the embassy) would respect Mexico's independence."