Mexico said Friday it is sending a diplomatic note protesting supposed U.S. interference after the American ambassador openly criticized a proposed Mexican judicial overhaul that would make all judges stand for election, Report informs via AP.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called the comments “disrespectful of our national sovereignty” and claimed it interfered in Mexico’s domestic affairs, adding “I hope this will not happen again.”
On Thursday, US Ambassador Ken Salazar said the proposed changes pose a “risk” to Mexico’s democracy and that they threaten “the historic commercial relationship” between the two countries. Critics fear the constitutional changes are an attempt by Lopez Obrador to weaken the independence of the judiciary.
The diplomatic note said the ambassador’s comments “represent an unacceptable interference, a violation of Mexico’s sovereignty.”
The proposal to require judges to stand for election, which has not been approved yet, has spurred criticism from investors and financial institutions in recent days, with the Mexican peso steadily dropping in currency markets.