Mexico has a 'closer' relationship with the US under Trump
Mexico and President Donald Trump may not see eye-to-eye on certain issues but that hasn't stopped the country from forming a pretty solid bond with the United States, the country's foreign relations secretary revealed.
Luis Videgaray, who serves as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs in Mexico, said Friday night that his country's relationship with the United States is 'more fluid' and 'closer' than it has been with previous US administrations.
'It might be surprising to some people, but that's a fact of life,' he said at a joint news conference in Mexico City with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland.
The three officials met to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, according to the Associated Press. They also discussed security concerns, trade and other global concerns.
Mexico and the United States are 'closer' than ever, it was revealed Friday during a joint news conference with officials from Mexico, Canada and the US. Pictured above is Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (left) shaking hands with US President Donald Trump (right) at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7, 2017
Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland (left) Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray (center) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (right) held a joint news conference in Mexico City
The three officials discussed the North American Free Trade Agreement, as well as security concerns, trade and other global concerns. Pictured above from left to right is Freeland, Videgaray and Tillerson during their news conference
Over the past year, Trump and Mexico have had several well-publicized disagreements over issues including immigration, trade and payment for a proposed border wall. However, Videgaray said that 'with the Trump administration, we're committed to having a very close communication and that has proven to be a tremendous benefit for the relationship'.
'I want to highlight the role that – and leadership of Secretary Tillerson, who has been instrumental to achieving this, and to bring our countries closer,' Videgaray added. 'Yes, we do have some differences, as every other country does, but we've been working very closely, we've achieved substantial things, and we're looking into the future.
'This is a relationship about opportunities and about the things that we can do together, and we're working well, we're working close, and we are about results.'
Tillerson's stop in Mexico kicked off a six-day Latin America trip that will also take him to Panama, Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Jamaica.
He was greeted in Mexico City on Friday by a handful of protesters holding up signs reading 'Dreamers, Trump's hostages,' and 'We are workers, not terrorists, not criminals.'
The three officials said they also discussed the political and economic crisis in Venezuela and its government's decision to push up presidential elections to April under conditions that opponents say overwhelmingly favor President Nicolas Maduro, who is so far the only candidate.
Tillerson's stop in Mexico kicked off a six-day Latin America trip that will also take him to Panama, Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Jamaica. He was met in Mexico City with protectors like this woman who is holding up signs that read in Spanish: 'Dreamers as prisoners of Donald Trump,' and 'Stop deportations that separate families, causing pain, anguish, and tears'
Freeland, Videgaray and Tillerson (pictured left to right) said they also discussed the political and economic crisis in Venezuela and its government's decision to push up presidential elections to April
'We shared our concerns for the humanitarian crisis that has unfolded in Venezuela,' Tillerson said. 'We all urge the Maduro regime to return to free, open credible, democratic elections.'
He added: 'If President Maduro would return to the Venezuelan constitution, restore the duly elected assembly, dismantle the illegitimate constituent assembly and return to free and fair elections, then he's happy to stay and run in the free and fair elections. If he wants to step aside and let someone else run in them, that's fine.'
Videgaray said Mexico had limits on how far it will go in pressuring Venezuela and would no t support any decision that 'involves violence, either internal or external'.