Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador defended his legacy in his remaining State of the Union tackle, an annual report on his administration.
López Obrador spoke for 2 hours in Mexico Metropolis’s huge Zocalo sq. on Sunday, bidding farewell to enthusiastic followers as he sought to advance main reforms to the nation’s courts.
Regardless of the controversial transfer, which critics say will weaken the judiciary, the Mexican president nonetheless enjoys an approval ranking of 73% as he nears the top of his six-year time period.
He mentioned in his speech that “we reside in a real democracy and are constructing a brand new residence” and “laying the inspiration for a brand new stage.”
1000’s of Lopez Obrador supporters crammed the sq., which had a party-like ambiance.
“I got here as a result of it was a farewell ceremony for one of many nation’s most historic presidents,” 39-year-old entrepreneur Jose Luis Diaz advised AFP. “We cannot see a president like him once more in 100 years.”
The presidential report is an annual assessment of the Mexican authorities’s progress, just like the U.S. president’s State of the Union tackle.
On October 1, López Obrador will hand over energy to Morena get together colleague Sheinbaum, who was elected because the nation’s first feminine president in June.
Mexican presidents are restricted to six-year phrases, so López Obrador can’t search re-election.
Sheinbaum may even inherit a bundle of constitutional reforms launched by Lopez Obrador, together with a judicial reform plan that opponents see as a worryingly authoritarian transfer by the ruling get together.
On the coronary heart of the proposal is a plan to elect federal judges, together with these appointed to the Supreme Court docket, by widespread vote. Lopez Obrador mentioned adjustments had been wanted to root out corruption.
However critics say the plan will undermine the independence of the judicial system. Judicial workers, together with judges, went on strike final week to protest towards the plan.
Earlier this month, US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar warned that proposed judicial reforms – which would come with electing judges – might threaten the “historic industrial relationship” between the 2 nations.
The USA is Mexico’s largest buying and selling accomplice.
“Democracy can’t perform with out a sturdy, unbiased and clear judiciary,” Salazar advised reporters, prompting a robust response from Lopez Obrador.
Mexico’s president referred to as the criticism “disrespect” for Mexico’s “nationwide sovereignty.”
Presently, federal Justice of the Peace judges in Mexico are chosen by means of an analysis course of, together with examinations, and are overseen by a judicial council.
Supreme Court docket justices are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
On Sunday, Lopez Obrador defended the judicial reform plan, saying it might guarantee judges “serve the folks” and suggesting it might restrict the affect of criminals within the courts.
Al Jazeera’s John Holman reported from Mexico Metropolis that López Obrador listed his achievements in his speech, highlighting his efforts to finish poverty in Mexico.
“I believe each critics and supporters will help the concept that he has diminished poverty for the poor by means of direct credit score transfers, a variety of social applications, pensions for the aged and faculty and faculty bursaries for younger folks,” Holman mentioned. amount. “
He added that López Obrador has additionally talked about eradicating corruption in Mexico, however “the proof of that is a lot much less.”
That did not matter to López Obrador’s supporters — the commonest indicators across the Zocalo sq. on Sunday merely learn “Gracias” — “Thanks.”
