Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters Tuesday (Aug. 27) that he had imposed a “pause” on diplomatic relations with the U.S. and Canada after the two countries raised concerns over Mexico’s controversial judicial overhaul proposal.
Lopez Obrador did not elaborate on what he meant by “pause.” The term is not used in official diplomatic code, and Mexico’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment from Associated Press.
The judicial overhaul proposal, proposed by Lopez Obrador at the end of his term, has sparked major protests and widespread criticism from investors and financial institutions.
On Thursday, U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar called the proposal a “risk” to democracy that would threaten Mexico’s trade relations with the U.S. . Lopez Obrador slammed the remarks, saying the ambassador was violating Mexico’s sovereignty. Salazar has since toned down his criticism, writing on the X platform that he is open to dialogue.
Lopez Obrador said in a press conference Tuesday morning that he believed the sharp comments did not come from Zalazar, but rather from the U.S. State Department.
He also accused Canada of interfering in Mexico’s internal affairs by expressing concerns about the proposal. The three countries have a vital trade relationship worth an estimated $1.8 trillion by 2022. So far, the tensions have shown no signs of how they will impact economic and diplomatic ties between the three countries.
Lopez Obrador is scheduled to hand over power to his political ally, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who will take office on October 1.
Carlos Perez Ricart, a political analyst at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching, a Mexican think tank, said the current developments would help the new president portray himself as a more moderate head of state. (jm/ab/rs)
