Mexico Freezes Relations With US And Canadian Embassies

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced that the Mexican government has paused its relationship with the US and Canadian embassies in the country. This crucial move comes as the ambassadors criticised the president's proposal to have judges elected by popular vote. In a press conference on Tuesday, Lopez Obrador reportedly said that the “pause” is with the embassies and not the countries.

The Mexican President said that the relations will be reestablished once the diplomats are “respectful of the independence of Mexico, of the sovereignty of our country," reported CNN. As per the report, the proposal for judicial reform in the country is part of a package of constitutional changes Lopez Obrador has been seeking, which have yet to be approved. A congressional committee has approved the proposal recently, and it now requires approval in both chambers of Congress.

Critics argue that the controversial judicial and institutional reforms would weaken the separation of powers and see the disappearance of some independent regulatory agencies in the country. Ken Salazar, US Ambassador to Mexico, expressed concern over the reforms and said that a "popular direct election of judges is a major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy.” The ambassador also added the move could impact trade relations between the countries. US and Mexico are each other's top trading partners. Graeme Clark, Canada's ambassador in Mexico, has also warned of investor worries due to the proposed judicial reforms.