the president USA, Joe Bidenasked on Tuesday for “patience” before the demand of his Mexican colleague, Andres Manuel Lopez Obradorprovide more work visas for Mexicans and Central Americans, and legalize millions of undocumented immigrants in the country.
“I’m not saying we don’t have problems, because we do. You need to be patient,” the Democratic leader said at the beginning of the meeting with Lopez Obrador The second personal meeting of the two leaders took place in the Oval Office of the White House.
Migration was central to a meeting over a record-breaking arrival of undocumented immigrants living on the US border, which was staged with the recent discovery in San Antonio, Texas of 53 migrants killed by overcrowding, 26 of them Mexicans.
Mexico asks for more visas and rules
In an unusually long speech for this kind of meeting, lasting about half an hour, López Obrador asked Biden to emulate the program of former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933–1945), which at the time employed thousands of Mexican farmers in the United States. time. .USA
Lopez Obrador considered that the United States was again short of labor, so he suggested to Biden “to allow the arrival of workers, technicians and specialists of various specialties, Mexicans and immigrants from Central America, with temporary work visas, to the United States.”
In addition, he urged Biden to make good on his promise to advance immigration reform, which would legalize nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country and which has stalled in Congress.
“I say this sincerely and more respectfully. It is important for us to settle and give reassurance to migrants who have lived and worked very honestly for many years and are also contributing to the development of this great nation,” he said.
America responds
In its turn, Biden He said his administration is “on track to create opportunities for legal pathways” for migrants, and recalled that last year it issued a “record” number of 300,000 visas for Mexican non-agricultural workers.
In addition, he promised to “double” the number of temporary visas for Central Americans in the next fiscal year as such measures help the economy and curb illegal migration, he said.
But he also stressed the need to strengthen the border and combat the human trafficking networks behind tragedies like the one in San Antonio.
In this sense, he recalled that his Control allocated $3.4 billion to improve border crossing infrastructure such as San Isidrothe busiest in the world.
Bye Lopez Obrador Inviting him to solve problems through “transformation” rather than “conservatism,” Biden threw the ball to the court of the Republicans, whom he accused of “extremist” positions.
Anti-inflation plan
Scheduled for the meeting, pressing inflation, which in Mexico reached 7.99% in June, the highest level in 21 years, and in USA In May, it stood at 8.6%, the highest in 40 years.
Considering this, Lopez Obrador proposed a plan to expand the supply of gasoline in USA and provide this country with 1,000 kilometers of Mexican gas pipelines.
He also asked for the suspension of some tariffs that are still in effect despite a new free trade agreement between Mexico, USA and Canada (T-MEC) and implement a joint public-private investment plan that avoids importing products from other countries such as China.
It was the first time both leaders saw each other’s faces after being rude. Lopez Obradofor the Americas Summit held in Los Angeles in June, which he did not attend in protest of the United States’ decision to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the event.
Lopez Obrador criticizes USA
Lopez Obrador express your criticism more openly USA than when Donald Trump was in power (2017-2021). Just last week, he asked to “dismantle The Statue of Liberty“If Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is extradited and convicted of USA.
However, both leaders tried to demonstrate harmony and even Biden he noted that “despite the exaggerated headlines” in the press, their relationship is “strong and productive”.
Lopez Obrador arrived on a commercial flight to Washington on Monday and checked into a central hotel in the US capital, where he was greeted by dozens of Mexicans.
After meeting with Bidenvisited memorials Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933-1945) and Martin Luther King, and tomorrow, Wednesday, he is scheduled to meet with businessmen before returning to Mexico.
Lopez Obrador his wife accompanies him Beatriz Gutierrez Muller; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard; Minister of Economy Tatiana Cloutier; Minister of Agriculture, Victor Manuel Villalobosand head of the National Migration Institute (INM), Francisco Gardunoamong others.
(As reported by EFE)
Source: RPP
I’m Liza Grey, an experienced news writer and author at the Buna Times. I specialize in writing about economic issues, with a focus on uncovering stories that have a positive impact on society. With over seven years of experience in the news industry, I am highly knowledgeable about current events and the ways in which they affect our daily lives.