Today, Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) introduced a congressional resolution raising deep concerns with proposed constitutional reforms in Mexico that would radically reform the nation’s judicial system. The reforms, spearheaded by outgoing Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, would allow citizens to vote on every single judge, appeals court member and justice all the way up to the Supreme Court. The lower house of Mexico’s Congress approved the reforms last Wednesday, and the Senate is set to vote on the legislation as soon as tonight.
“As a border state, Arizona benefits in so many ways from our close relationship with Mexico. However, I’m deeply concerned that the proposed constitutional reforms that will jeopardize this shared economic and security interest—particularly commitments made in the USMCA and efforts to counter cross-border crime,” Rep. Stanton said. “Our bipartisan resolution respectfully calls on our Mexican counterparts to weigh these concerns as they move forward.”
“The reforms proposed by the current government threaten to take Mexico back to the days of one party rule,” Rep. Salazar said. “Mexico is an important ally and partner of the United States – we must remain committed to ensuring the independence of the Mexican judiciary from populist attacks.”
Text of the resolution is available HERE.
The resolution builds upon a bipartisan letter Stanton led last week with 10 Members of Congress to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, outlining concerns that the proposed reforms would risk violating terms of the USMCA.