Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has blamed the United States for the surge in cartel violence in Sinaloa, citing the recent arrest of a key cartel leader in the US. The violence, which has left at least 30 people dead in the past week, has plunged the state into fear and uncertainty. López Obrador argues that the US operation to capture Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada was illegal and destabilizing, leading to the current power struggle within the Sinaloa cartel.
Proposed judicial reforms in Mexico, aimed at increasing popular control over the judiciary, have sparked international criticism and financial market instability. The reforms, championed by outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and backed by his successor Claudia Sheinbaum, would significantly alter the structure and selection process of judges, drawing concerns about politicization and undermining the independence of the judiciary.
The Mexican peso rebounded on Wednesday after a sharp selloff triggered by a temporary diplomatic pause with the U.S. and Canada. However, concerns persist among investors regarding President López Obrador’s proposed judicial reform, which aims to subject judges to popular elections. This reform has drawn criticism for potentially jeopardizing the judiciary’s independence and increasing corruption risks.
