Sheinbaum: EU and Salazar should explain their interest in judicial reform

Mexico City. In response to a direct question, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said that the United States Department of State and the US ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, should explain their interest in the reform of the Judicial Branch. At the same time, she ruled out tensions between the two governments on this issue. “There is friendship,” she said.

“They have to say why. They say that it intervenes in the treaty (trade agreement between Mexico, the United States and Canada) and that is not true, the issue of the Judiciary is not mentioned anywhere in the USMCA,” he said.

Sheinbaum insisted that they have “no reason to be intervening in this way in something that exclusively concerns Mexicans,” and also noted that “that does not mean that there should be tensions in any way.”

At a press conference, within the framework of the plenary session of the elected senators of Morena, he recalled that the reform of the Judicial Branch is a proposal that was made prior to the election.

“Throughout the campaign, on my part, on the part of the senators, of the deputies, the proposal was always made for the popular election of judges and magistrates of the Judicial Branch. In other words, it is not something new.”

And when you win by such a resounding majority, “it is clear that there is a mandate from the people to carry out what was proposed during the campaign, which is the reform of the Judiciary.”

If this were not enough, he added, “there are polls that tell us that people agree with the reform.” One of them says that 67 percent agree with direct elections. “That is, seven percent more than those who voted for us.”

He reiterated once again his rejection of the idea that this reform would put democracy and the rule of law at risk. On the contrary, “there will be more democracy by electing not only the president, but also the legislators and the judiciary.” He also added that “justice will be strengthened in our country.”

He mentioned that there are other issues “that concern both countries, or Canada, Mexico and the United States, such as the treaty, or joint issues, security, migration, cooperation of all kinds.”

But there is friendship, although, “we have to be very clear that what belongs to the Mexicans belongs to the Mexicans. So there should be no reason for tensions.”

He confirmed that Morena legislators “will not skip any legislative procedure” for judicial reform. “The approval of the reform to the Judicial Branch and other reforms that are proposed” in plan C will be in accordance with the law.