United States (US) Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said Thursday (8/22) that plans to overhaul Mexico's justice system threaten the country's democracy and its important trade relationship with the US.
The controversial overhaul, which is set to go to a vote next month, proposes that judges, including Supreme Court justices, be chosen by popular vote.
“In my opinion, direct election of judges by the people constitutes a major risk to the functioning of Mexican democracy,” Salazar said in a statement.
The comments are by far the strongest made by Mexico's largest trading partner and indicate a significant escalation in tensions between the two countries on the issue.
Claudia Sheinbaum, the president-elect who will take office in October, has defended outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's proposals. Sheinbaum said she agrees that judges should be elected.
Salazar said the debate over the overhaul, and the politics of the process, should the plan pass, would threaten the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship, “which relies on a level of investor confidence in Mexico’s legal framework.”
“A judicial reform must have some kind of proper safeguards that will ensure that the judicial branch will be strengthened and not become a target for political corruption,” he continued.
Salazar said the overhaul could make Mexico's judiciary more vulnerable to the influence of organized crime.
“Direct elections will also make it easier for cartels and bad guys to take advantage of inexperienced and politically motivated judges,” he continued.
The president's office and Mexico's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Lopez Obrador argues the reform, which proposes that judges be elected by popular vote in 2025 and 2027, will help combat corruption and impunity.
But markets have been jittery since Lopez Obrador’s Morena party won more seats in Congress than expected in June’s national election, virtually guaranteeing its ability to pass constitutional reforms when the new Congress takes office next month.
Mexico's stock market and its currency, the peso, fell about 1 percent on Thursday (8/22). (uh)
