MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's president told reporters Tuesday he has put relations with the United States and Canadian embassies 鈥渙n pause鈥� after the two countries voiced concerns over a proposed controversial judicial overhaul.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador didn鈥檛 elaborate on what a pause would mean. It鈥檚 not a term used in formal diplomatic codes, and Mexico鈥檚 foreign ministry did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment about what it would entail.
The judicial overhaul proposal, suggested by the Mexican president during his final weeks in office, has spurred major protests and strikes and wide criticism from investors and financial institutions.
Last week, American ambassador Ken Salazar called the proposal a 鈥渞isk鈥� to democracy that would endanger Mexico鈥檚 commercial relationship with the United States. López Obrador lambasted the ambassador, saying he violated Mexican sovereignty. Salazar has since dialed back his tone, writing on X that he was open to a dialogue.
López Obrador said during his morning press briefing Tuesday he believed the sharp comments were not from Salazar, but rather from the U.S. State Department.
鈥淲e're not going to tell him (Salazar) to leave the country,鈥� he said, 鈥淚 hope that they promise to be respectful of Mexican鈥檚 independence, of our country鈥檚 sovereignty. But until that happens, and they continue these policies, it鈥檚 on pause.鈥�
He added cheekily, 鈥渨e are going to take our time,鈥� garnering laughs from some reporters.
López Obrador also accused Canada of interfering with an internal matter for expressing apprehension about the proposal. The three countries share a crucial commercial relationship that reached an estimated US$1.8 trillion in trade in 2022. So far, the tensions show no clear signs of how they can affect the longstanding economic and diplomatic relationship between them.
Salazar has since dialed back his tone, writing on X that he was open to a dialogue and that he respected Mexican sovereignty. But as he did, members of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, issued a joint statement saying they were "deeply concerned" about the judicial overhaul and other proposed reforms to the constitution, which they say could 鈥渃ontradict commitments鈥� made in their trade agreement.
The comments are likely to only further irritate López Obrador.
It's not the first time the Mexican state head has thrown around the phrase. In 2022, he announced a diplomatic pause with Spain over a dispute with energy companies. At the time, López Obrador said the pause 鈥渋s not a break in relations鈥� with Spain, but 鈥渘othing more than a respectful and fraternal protest against the abuses and grievances committed against the people of Mexico and our country.鈥�
However, the latest comments aimed at the U.S. ambassador come amid heightened tensions between the two governments in recent months, after the U.S. nailed Mexican drug lord 鈥楨l Mayo鈥� Zambada in a peculiar set of events. As more information has been revealed about the case, López Obrador has taken on an increasingly belligerent tone, said Carlos Pérez Ricart, a political analyst at Mexico鈥檚 Center for Economic Research and Teaching.
鈥淚n other circumstances, in another context, he might have just listened, not escalated the conflict,鈥� Pérez Ricart said. 鈥淚n the past months, we鈥檝e seen a lot more radical statements towards the United States."
López Obrador is set to pass the baton to his political ally and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who takes office Oct. 1. Pérez Ricart said while the recent tensions may burden Mexico鈥檚 first woman president, it can also help her set herself apart as a more moderate head of state.
