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The news was announced by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday (28/7). He clarified that the freeze only took place at the embassy and not in the United States or Canada as a whole.

“There is a temporary suspension (of relations),” Lopez Obrador said, as published Washington Times.

The decision to freeze relations came after the ambassadors of the United States and Canada expressed concerns about a plan to overhaul Mexico’s justice system.

The proposed judicial overhaul, suggested by the Mexican president in his final weeks in office, includes the selection of judges to serve.

The move was feared by analysts, judges and international observers because it would place politically biased and inexperienced judges on the court.

This sparked massive protests and strikes as well as widespread criticism from investors and financial institutions.

Last week, U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar said the reshuffle posed a risk to democracy and would jeopardize Mexico’s trade relations with America.

López Obrador criticized the ambassador, saying he violated Mexico’s sovereignty.

He said at a news conference that he believed the harsh comments came not from Salazar, but from the U.S. State Department.

“We will not order him (Salazar) to leave this country. “I hope they promise to respect the independence of Mexico and the sovereignty of our country,” he stressed.

López Obrador also accused Canada of interfering in internal affairs for expressing concerns about the proposal.

The three countries share significant trade relations with trade expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2022.

So far, the tensions show no clear signs of how they might affect the long-standing economic and diplomatic relations between the two countries.

This is not the first time that the Mexican president has decided to freeze diplomatic relations. In 2022, he announced a diplomatic break with Spain due to disputes with energy companies.

At the time, López Obrador said the break was not a break with Spain, but nothing more than a respectful and fraternal protest against the abuses and grievances of the Mexican people.

As López Obrador’s term draws to a close, he is expected to hand over the reins to his political ally and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who will take office on October 1.