AMLO sends letter to Biden after Ken Salazar criticizes the reform of the Judicial Branch: “We do not accept interference”

PHOTO: MARIO JASSO/CUARTOSCURO.COM

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador reported that yesterday he sent a diplomatic note to his counterpart in the United States, Joe Biden, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), after the ambassador of that country in Mexico, Ken Salazar, positioned himself against the reform to the Judicial Branch, pointing out that if approved it could affect the commercial relationship between both nations.

In today’s La Mañanera, López Obrador said that the criticism against the reform “is part of the contrasts” in the relationship between the United States and Mexico; however, he accused the U.S. government of applying “an interventionist policy throughout America.”

“It is part of the contrasts that exist in the relationship between the United States government and our government. We have been explaining this for many years. It is also part of the history of our country. The United States has applied an interventionist policy throughout America since they defined the Monroe Doctrine and maintained that “America is for Americans,” not the rest of the American continent for a long time, and they decided on the policies in the countries of the continent, they put in and removed presidents at will,” he said at the National Palace.

The president reiterated that his government has had a good relationship with the United States, even during the administration of Republican Donald Trump, who had an anti-immigration policy; however, he considered that “lately” they have disrespected Mexico’s sovereignty.

“Recently there have been acts of disrespect towards our sovereignty, such as this unfortunate and imprudent statement by Ambassador Ken Salazar yesterday, but a diplomatic note of estrangement has already been issued and I stand by what the Foreign Relations Secretariat announced, because we do not accept interference, we do not accept that any representative of foreign governments intervene in matters that only we Mexicans are responsible for resolving,” he said.

The Morena leader explained that the letter “is a surprise” for the United States embassy in Mexico after the criticisms about the judicial reform, which describes Ken Salazar’s opinion as an “unacceptable act of interference” and hopes that “it will not happen again.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America in the United Mexican States and refers to the statement made by Ambassador Ken Salazar today, in which he expresses his opinion regarding the proposed judicial reform of the United Mexican States.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its deep surprise at the statement made by Ambassador Salazar, on internal issues and matters of full national sovereignty. The government of the United Mexican States wishes to highlight that the main objective of the constitutional reform initiative is to strengthen the rule of law through a reform of the Judicial Branch that is carried out through the democratic procedures enshrined in the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States.

“The Mexican government is committed to a judiciary that enjoys true independence, autonomy and legitimacy, thereby strengthening the rule of law and improving access to justice for all.

“Therefore, the statement by the ambassador of the United States of America expressing a position on this issue, which is strictly internal to the Mexican State, represents an unacceptable act of interference, contravenes the sovereignty of the United Mexican States and does not reflect the degree of mutual respect that characterizes the relations between our governments.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes this opportunity to reiterate to the Embassy of the United States of America in the United Mexican States its assurance of its most attentive consideration and would appreciate acknowledging receipt of this note,” the document concludes.