Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday he expects US President-elect Joe Biden to help stem the wave of migration from Central America through investment.
Since coming to power in 2018, Lopez Obrador has urged the US to invest in impoverished regions of Mexico and Central America to help tackle the mass migration heading north seeking the “American Dream.”
“He knows he has to support Central American countries and Mexico, especially in the south and southeast … so that there is development, to address the migratory phenomenon by giving options,” said Lopez Obrador, who spoke to Biden by telephone on Saturday.
The left-wing populist also insisted he would have good relations with Biden despite having waited until last week and the US Electoral College vote to congratulate him on his November 3 presidential election victory.
Lopez Obrador had previously fostered a good relationship with President Donald Trump despite their obvious ideological differences.
“There’s nothing to fear,” said Lopez Obrador. “There’s no indication, no sign of bad relations with the government headed by President Biden.”
Lopez Obrador added that Biden wanted a relationship “of equals” with Mexico.
When congratulating Biden last week, Lopez Obrador urged the President-elect to cooperate on migration issues.
The wave of thousands of Central American migrants traveling through Mexico heading for the US in 2018 infuriated Trump, who threatened Mexico with tariffs on its exports if it didn’t stem the flow.
Despite that, the two leaders maintained good relations and Lopez Obrador even visited Trump in Washington last July.
He experienced a hail of criticism for that move given the US was in the midst of its presidential election campaign.
