Mexico City, Auguat 27, 2024, The Europe Today: The Mexican government has paused its engagement with the ambassadors of the United States and Canada, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced on Tuesday. The decision follows criticism over a sweeping judicial reform proposal in Mexico, which has sparked protests, strikes, and concerns from investors and financial institutions.
“There is a pause,” Lopez Obrador stated during a press conference, clarifying that the freeze is with the embassies, not the countries themselves. The move comes after U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar labeled the proposed judicial overhaul a “risk” to democracy, warning it could jeopardize Mexico’s commercial relationship with Washington. Lopez Obrador rebuked Salazar, accusing him of violating Mexican sovereignty.
Salazar later softened his stance, expressing openness to dialogue and emphasizing respect for Mexico’s sovereignty. However, Lopez Obrador suggested that the U.S. State Department was behind the ambassador’s initial criticism. “We’re not going to tell him [Salazar] to leave the country,” Lopez Obrador said. “But until they promise to respect Mexico’s independence and sovereignty, the engagement is on pause.”
The Mexican president also accused Canada’s ambassador of interfering in Mexico’s internal affairs after the ambassador expressed concerns about the judicial reform.
The diplomatic tension comes at a critical time, as Mexico, the United States, and Canada share a robust commercial relationship, with trade between the three countries reaching an estimated $1.8 trillion in 2022, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
