US govt schedules Mexico trip to reboot ties
MEXICO CITY: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security chief John Kelly will visit Mexico on February 23 to reestablish ‘ constructive’ ties after a diplomatic crisis, Mexico’s government said Wednesday.
Ties have been strained by US President Donald Trump’s vow to crack down on migration from Mexico and revise trade relations.
The Mexican foreign ministry said in a statement that the two US officials would make a working visit aimed at building ‘a respectful, close and constructive relationship between the two countries’.
During his election campaign, Trump branded immigrants from Mexico rapists and criminals.
His plan to build a wall along the countries’ border to keep illegal immigrants out and make Mexico pay for it has enraged many Mexicans.
He has also threatened to end Mexico’s privileged trade relationship with the United States, blaming Mexico for the loss of American jobs.
Mexico is one of the countries most concerned by Trump’s tough approach to foreign relations.
It sends 80 percent of its exports to the United States — nearly 300 billion in goods in 2015.
His stance has driven USMexican relations to their lowest point in decades.
Tens of thousands of Mexicans staged street protests against Trump on Sunday. They also criticized their President Enrique Pena Nieto, saying he was being too soft on Trump.
Pena Nieto has vowed Mexico will not pay for the wall.
He cancelled a planned meeting with Trump in Washington last month and called for respectful relations. — AFP