Mexican president asks US to send $20B to Latin America, legalize migrants

Mar 25

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer)

This report was created with support from enhanced software.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is focusing on immigration, trade and the fentanyl crisis as he enters the final six months of his presidency. In an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes,” López Obrador discussed his ongoing influence on the future of U.S.-Mexico relations and his vision for the coming months.

After a record-breaking influx of 250,000 migrants at the U.S. southern border, President Joe Biden sought López Obrador’s assistance. Their cooperation led to a significant 50% decrease in migrant crossings. However, López Obrador warns that the flow of migrants will persist unless the U.S. addresses the root causes.

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“We were more careful about our southern border,” López Obrador said. “We spoke with the presidents of Central America, with the president of Venezuela, and with the president of Cuba. We asked them for help in curbing the flow of migrants. However, that is a short-term solution, not a long-term one.”

The president of Mexico’s proposal for stemming immigration includes:

– The U.S. commit $20 billion a year to poor countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
-Lift sanctions on Venezuela
-End the Cuban embargo
-Legalize law-abiding Mexicans living in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/rmJ1j78SxQ
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) March 24, 2024

López Obrador’s proposed solution includes the U.S. sending $20 billion a year to Latin America and the Caribbean to address migration causes, lifting sanctions on Venezuela, ending the Cuban embargo, and legalizing law-abiding Mexicans living in the U.S.

López Obrador also discussed his interactions with U.S. Presidents Trump and Biden.

Despite Trump’s claims about building a wall, López Obrador believes such measures are ineffective and emphasized the mutual benefits of cooperation through agreements like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a trade pact spearheaded by the Trump administration to replace NAFTA.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) supports mutually beneficial trade leading to freer markets, fairer trade, and robust economic growth in North America. pic.twitter.com/CatvToL7dx
— Department of State (@StateDept) February 26, 2021

To reduce violence in Mexico, López Obrador disbanded the federal police and established a National Guard for public security. He also invested millions in job creation for youth, aiming to reduce cartel influence. Since these changes, the Mexican government reported a near 20% decrease in homicides.

Despite Transparency International noting no progress in Mexico’s corruption levels, López Obrador credits his popularity to his government’s focus on social programs and fighting corruption.

According to CBS, López Obrador plans to retire from politics after his term ends. With the country’s elections approaching in June, his protégée — Claudia Sheinbaum — already holds a significant lead in the races.

Tags: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Border, Border crossings, Border patrol, Cuba, Fentanyl, Immigration, Mexico, U.S.-Mexico Border, Venezuela

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

IMMIGRATION, TRADE, AND THE FENTANYL CRISIS ARE KEY FOCUSES IN MEXICAN PRESIDENT ANDRÉS MANUEL LÓPEZ OBRADOR’S LAST 6 MONTHS IN OFFICE. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH CBS’ 60 MINUTES – LÓPEZ OBRADOR DISCUSSES HIS CONTINUING INFLUENCE ON THE FUTURE OF US-MEXICO RELATIONS.

AFTER A RECORD-BREAKING INFLUX OF 250-THOUSAND MIGRANTS AT THE US SOUTHERN BORDER, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN REACHED OUT TO LÓPEZ OBRADOR FOR ASSISTANCE. THEIR COOPERATION LED TO A SIGNIFICANT 50-percent DECREASE IN MIGRANT CROSSINGS. HOWEVER, HE SAYS THE FLOW OF MIGRANTS WILL CONTINUE IF THE US DOESN’T FIX THE ROOT CAUSES.

PRESIDENT ANDRÉS MANUEL LÓPEZ OBRADOR
MEXICO

“We were more careful about our southern border. We spoke with the presidents of Central America, with the president of Venezuela and with the president of Cuba. We asked them for help in curbing the flow of migrants. However, that is a short term solution, not a long term one.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

LÓPEZ OBRADOR’S FIX INCLUDES SENDING $20 BILLION A YEAR TO LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN TO ADDRESS MIGRATION CAUSES, LIFT SANCTIONS ON VENEZUELA AND END THE CUBAN EMBARGO. HE ALSO INSISTS ON LEGALIZING LAW-ABIDING MEXICANS LIVING IN THE US.

LÓPEZ OBRADOR’S DISCUSSED HIS INTERACTIONS WITH US PRESIDENTS TRUMP AND BIDEN. DESPITE TRUMP’S CLAIMS ABOUT BUILDING A WALL, LOPEZ OBRADOR BELIEVES SUCH MEASURES ARE INEFFECTIVE AND EMPHASIZED THE MUTUAL BENEFITS OFCOOPERATION THROUGH AGREEMENTS LIKE THE UNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA AGREEMENT, A TRADE PACT SPEARHEADED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO REPLACE NAFTA.

HIS APPROACH TO REDUCING VIOLENCE IN MEXICO INCLUDES DISBANDING THE FEDERAL POLICE AND ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL GUARD FOR PUBLIC SECURITY. HE ALSO INVESTED MILLIONS IN JOB CREATION FOR YOUTH, AIMING TO REDUCE CARTEL INFLUENCE. SINCE THESE CHANGES, THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT REPORTS A NEARLY 20% DECREASE IN HOMICIDES.

HE CREDITS HIS POPULARITY TO HIS GOVERNMENT’S EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND FIGHTING CORRUPTION, DESPITE TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL NOTING NO PROGRESS IN MEXICO’S CORRUPTION.

ACCORDING TO CBS LÓPEZ OBRADOR PLANS TO RETIRE FROM POLITICS AFTER HIS TERM. THE COUNTRY’S ELECTIONS TAKE PLACE IN JUNE AND HIS PROTEGEE—CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM—ALREADY HOLDS A SIGNIFICANT LEAD IN THE RACES