Janice R. Andrews
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called former US President Donald Trump “a friend” on Friday, in an unexpected shift in diplomatic language. In the run-up to the U.S. presidential election, López Obrador, who has already experienced significant political pressure from Trump’s border policies, stated that he is willing to keep lines of communication open with the Republican contender. During Trump’s presidency from 2017 to 2021, López Obrador emphasized their cordial connection, even though Trump has a history of pushing strict border measures.
The remarks made by López Obrador were related to the contentious immigration policies of President Trump. Amidst his campaign in 2015, Trump asserted that a significant number of immigrants entering the United States illegally were “criminals, drug dealers, and rapists,” a statement that caused a great deal of indignation in Mexico. When Trump threatened to seal the border between the United States and Mexico in 2019 if Mexican officials did not work to reduce migrant crossings, this mood became even more strained. Because of the close economic ties between the two countries, López Obrador noted that any border shutdown would be harmful to both.
López Obrador stated in his speech that he planned to send a letter to Trump the following week. The letter tries to convince Trump that border closures are an unrealistic solution and that immigrants are not the ones bringing drugs into the country. “They wouldn’t last a month with the border closed,” López Obrador remarked, alluding to American manufacturers and automakers who significantly depend on a smooth exchange of goods and parts between them.
The president of Mexico also spoke about the larger problem of American automakers moving to lower-wage plants in Mexico, which is causing increasing anxiety in the US. Reversing this trend, he contended, would result in enormous price increases for American consumers—between $15,000 and $20,000 more per vehicle.
In spite of past disagreements and Trump’s frequently caustic remarks, the two leaders were able to keep their working relationship going from 2018 to 2020. In compliance with Trump’s requests, the López Obrador administration sent the Mexican National Guard to prevent third-country migrants from entering the United States; this policy is still in place under the current American administration.
The realistic approach to U.S.-Mexico relations reflected in López Obrador’s words prioritizes mutual economic dependency and discussion over hostility. His forthcoming letter to Trump, which emphasizes the importance of the two-way connection and the nuances of border politics, indicates an attempt to sway the former president’s policy should he run for government again.
