Trump and López Obrador discuss immigration in a phone call



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US President Donald Trump and the next Mexican leader, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, discussed issues of immigration, trade and security during a phone call Monday, both initiating a dialogue tensions between neighboring countries.




  López Obrador speaks in Mexico City
López Obrador delivers a speech in Mexico City 07/02/2018 REUTERS / Alexandre Meneghini

López Obrador delivers a speech in Mexico City 07/02/2018 REUTERS / Alexandre Meneghini

Photo: Reuters

López Obrador, the 64-year-old former mayor of Mexico City, won the overwhelming majority of Sunday's election, which hit political parties hard and became first leftist politician to conquer the Mexican presidency since the one-party rule ended in 2000.

The relationship between Trump and Lopez Obrador will be closely monitored as Trump regularly criticized Mexico. In comments to reporters, Trump said that he believes López Obrador will help the United States protect its southern border.

"I think the relationship will be very good, we'll see what happens, but I really think it will be fine," said Trump.

He said that in the phone call, they commented on a possible trade agreement between the United States and Mexico.

Shortly after, López Obrador gave his description of the phone call in a Twitter post, saying that he proposed a comprehensive deal to create jobs, reduce immigration and increase security.

Reuters reported last month on the security plan, which Lopez Obrador sees as an alternative to the Trump border wall.

In his description, López Obrador did not mention trade, and Trump did not give more details about a possible trade pact. Conversations between the United States, Canada and Mexico to revise the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement have been complicated.

López Obrador, in the skeptical past of NAFTA and who moderated his views during his third presidential race, said Monday in an interview on Mexican television that he wanted a Nafta deal which would be good for Mexico.

"We will follow the current government in this negotiation, we will be very respectful and we will support the signing of the agreement," said Milenio TV.

López Obrador, who says he wants firm but friendly relations with Washington, said he will discuss NAFTA with incumbent President Enrique Peña Nieto at their first meeting after the elections scheduled for Tuesday.

Trump has been antagonistic to Mexico with respect to trade and immigration. The current NAFTA talks began last year after Trump called for the deal to be renegotiated to better serve US interests.

Despite Trump's conciliatory tone, a White House aide on Monday repeated one of the most controversial election promises that the US leader has taken for his presidency.

"In the case of Mexico, we obviously share a border with them and this president said very clearly to build a wall and to get Mexico to pay for it," said Kellyanne Conway, councilor, Fox News.

Mexicans across the political spectrum said that Mexico would not pay for Trump's proposed wall on the southern border of the United States, which he said was needed to keep illegal immigrants away from the United States. drug addicts.

López Obrador, who will take office on December 1, won more than 53% of the vote in Sunday's election, according to preliminary results, with more than double the votes of his closest rival. It's the highest percentage of votes in a Mexican presidential election since the early 1980s and it gives it a strong mandate to address Mexico's domestic problems and address external challenges such as US tariffs.

In his victory speech, López Obrador sought to rebadure investors about prudent economic policy and independence vis-à-vis the central bank. His economic advisers repeated this message during a conference call with investors Monday and in an interview with Reuters.

  Reuters
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