Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador begun his trip to the United States, his first foreign trip as president, by visiting the Lincoln Memorial and the statue of Benito Juárez, a former president and national hero in Mexico.
The two presidents will discuss the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that replaced NAFTA, a trade agreement Trump said was a bad deal and could give him an opening to bash former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, for voting in favor of the old North American Free Trade Agreement. NAFTA is blamed for prompting U.S. companies to shift manufacturing to Mexico, where labor costs were lower.
Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow said López Obrador and Trump will sign a joint declaration of friendship and cooperation. He said the USMCA is going to boost automobile and other manufacturing, agriculture, dairy farmers, and cattle ranchers.
“As the three countries respect this deal then you’re gonna have an explosion of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship, and new innovation in North America,” Kudlow said on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends.” “One percentage point of GDP as this thing gets going per year – a couple hundred thousand jobs.
I don’t know why people don’t pay more attention to it. You know, we’re looking for growth following the pandemic. ”
Although this is not a state visit, López Obrador will be treated to a special dinner at the White House attended by business leaders from both nations.
With the U.S. looking to reduce its supply chain in China, Mexico is well-positioned to step into the void, senior administration officials told reporters on a call outlining the visit. Cooperation between the two countries allowed the flow of goods to continue across the U.S.-Mexico border despite shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, they said on the condition of anonymity to discuss the visit.
Visiting the Lincoln Memorial & Benito Juárez’s statue
Earlier today, the Mexican President laid a wreath at the Lincoln Memorial. Later, I have headed to Benito Juárez’s statue, where I’ve laid a wreath and sang Mexico’s national anthem.
Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard; Economy Minister Graciela Márquez Colín; Alfonso Romo Garza; ambassador Martha Bárcena; and U.S. ambassador Christopher Landau accompanied the President during both events.
During the event, López Obrador’s supporters were present to show their support for the Mexican President, although others who disapprove of his government were also present.
Source: El Universal
