Mexico slams US ambassador’s comments on proposed justice reform – DNyuz

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, better known as AMLO, has criticized the United States for recent comments describing his proposed judicial reform as a “risk” to Mexican democracy.

At a press conference on Friday morning, Lopez Obrador described the criticism as “disrespectful” to Mexico’s “national sovereignty.”

“I hope this doesn’t happen again,” he said.

The Mexican government also announced that it would send a diplomatic note saying that the U.S. comments “represent an unacceptable interference, a violation of Mexican sovereignty.”

The administration’s response came a day after U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar warned that the proposed judicial changes — which include making judges eligible for election — could jeopardize the “historic commercial relationship” between the two countries.

“Democracies cannot function without a strong, independent and uncorrupt judiciary,” Salazar told reporters.

He added that the proposed revision would “help cartels and other bad actors take advantage of inexperienced judges with political motives” and “create turbulence” – both economic and political – for years to come.

Lopez Obrador, a populist president often criticized for his attacks on independent regulators, has long been at odds with Mexico’s judiciary.

He claims that judges are part of a “mafia” that opposes him. He has presented his judicial reform as a way to clean up corruption in the courts.

Under his plan, the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government could nominate virtually anyone with a law degree to serve as a judge.

These individuals would then be screened by special committees set up by each branch to ensure they have the qualifications required to serve. Finally, the candidates would be put to a popular vote.

The judicial reform still needs to be approved: the country’s newly elected Congress takes office on September 1.

But Lopez Obrador is pushing the proposal as one of the last major goals of his presidency, which is limited to a six-year term. He is expected to step down on Sept. 30, with his hand-picked successor, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, inaugurated the next day.

Sheinbaum defended the proposal and the coalition led by Lopez Obrador’s Morena party has a supermajority in the lower house of Congress.

In order to adopt the legal plan, a constitutional amendment is required, which requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers.

However, critics fear the changes are an attempt by Lopez Obrador to undermine the independence of the judiciary.

This week, federal court workers, judges and academics went on strike in protest of judicial reforms that they say would pave the way for more politically oriented judges on the courts.

They also warned that the judicial reform could lead to the Morena party gaining control of all three branches of government, a blow to the system of checks and balances.

Julio Rios Figueroa, a law professor at the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM) in Mexico City, told Al Jazeera reporter Joseph Stepansky earlier this week that the reforms could even destabilize the justice system.

“It will create administrative chaos and uncertainty in many areas,” Rios Figueroa said. “It will also put an end to the independence and autonomy of the judiciary in Mexico.”

Salazar, the U.S. ambassador, expressed similar concerns on Thursday, though he acknowledged that corruption within the Mexican government must be addressed.

“The direct election of judges poses a risk to the functioning of Mexican democracy and the integration of the US, Mexican and Canadian economies,” he said Thursday.

Canadian Ambassador to Mexico Graeme Clark also criticized the justice reform during a meeting on Thursday.

“My investors are concerned. They want stability. They want a legal system that works when there are problems,” he said.

Clark stressed, however, that the Canadian and Mexican governments have “excellent relations” and that he was merely relaying investors’ concerns.

The story Mexico slams US ambassador’s comments on proposed justice reform first appeared on Al Jazeera.