They Must Learn to Respect Mexico’s Sovereignty: President AMLO
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), Aug. 27, 2024. Photo: X/ @JesusRCuevas
August 27, 2024 Hour: 1:49 pm
Previously, the ambassadors of the United States and Canada issued statements criticizing judicial reform in Mexico.
On Tuesday, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) demanded respect for his country’s sovereignty following criticisms from U.S. and Canadian diplomats regarding the reform of the Judiciary in Mexico.
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During his morning press conference, he announced that he had decided to “pause the relationship” with U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar and Canadian Ambassador Graeme C. Clark. The Mexican president, however, clarified that this pause does not extend to the governments of both countries.
“The relationship with Ken Salazar is good, but it is on pause. We’re going to take our time,” AMLO said, hinting that the U.S. State Department might be behind Ambassador Salazar’s statements.
Lopez Obrador emphasized the need for foreign representatives to respect Mexico’s sovereignty, noting that his government does not interfere in the internal affairs of other nations.
“They need to learn to respect Mexico’s sovereignty because we are not going to give them advice over there or tell them what is right or wrong. We want them to be respectful and to have a reciprocal relationship in terms of sovereignty,” he stressed, explaining that the relationship with both embassies will only be resumed once there is confirmation that Mexico’s independence will be respected.
“Let them understand that it was imprudent to express themselves as they did. There are things that only concern our country,” AMLO said, referring to the critical comments about the judicial reforms.
Last week, the U.S. and Canada expressed concerns that the changes to the Judiciary could affect deals established under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). These warnings caused concerns among Mexican business leaders, who fear that the attraction of foreign investment, such as nearshoring, could decrease.
Lopez Obrador and Mexico’s president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum have downplayed the warnings and defended the judicial reform as a necessary step to eradicate corruption. During the press conference, AMLO presented a survey showing that 75 percent of the population supports the judicial reform.
The diplomatic tension with the U.S. and Canada comes at a time when China has announced significant investments in Mexico, which could influence the economic and geopolitical landscape of the region.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
