MEXICO – Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, has criticised the United States for recent comments that framed his proposed judicial overhaul as a “risk” to Mexico’s democracy. In a morning press conference on Friday, Lopez Obrador described the criticism as “disrespectful” to Mexico’s “national sovereignty”. “I hope this will not happen again,” he said.

The Mexican government also announced it would send a diplomatic note that says the US comments “represent an unacceptable interference, a violation of Mexico’s sovereignty”. Thevgovernment’s response came a day after US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar warned the proposed judicial changes — which include putting judges up for election — could threaten “the historic commercial relationship” between the two countries. “Democracies can’t function without a strong, independent and non-corrupt judicial branch,” Salazar told reporters.

He added that the proposed overhaul would “help cartels and other bad actors take advantage of inexperienced judges with political motivations” and “create turbulence” — both economically and politically — for years to come. Salazar said on Friday that his comments, poorly received in a country where the US has a long history of interference in domestic affairs, were made in the “spirit of collaboration”.

“I am most willing to engage in dialogue with Mexico’s leadership on the direct election of judges and exchange views on different models,” the US ambassador said in a social media post explaining his position. Lopez Obrador, a populist president often criticised for attacking independent regulatory agencies, has long been at odds with Mexico’s judicial branch. (Al Jazeera)…[+]