On Monday, President Donald Trump and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the next leader of Mexico, discussed the issues of immigration, security, and trade during a telephone call. The dialogue between the two maverick politicians comes at a time when relations between the two neighboring nations have become strained.
The 64-year-old former Mexico City Mayor won the election in Mexico on Sunday in a landslide victory, crushing establishment parties. He is the first left-wing politician to become the President of Mexico since the end of one-party rule, back in 2000. Trump has been a regular critic of Mexico, meaning that the relationship between him and the new President is likely to be closely watched.
Trump later told reporters he thinks that Lopez Obrador will assist the US to secure the southern border and that he believes the two will have a very good working relationship. Lopez Obrador later gave his account of the conversation, saying that he had proposed a comprehensive deal to lower immigration, create jobs, and improve border security, a plan he sees as an alternative to the wall on the border between the US and Mexico, which has long been one of Trump’s biggest goals.
The Mexican President says he wishes to have a relationship with Washington that is firm but friendly, despite Trump often being antagonistic over immigration and trade issues. But, although Trump’s tone was conciliatory, a White House spokesman later reiterated the administration’s controversial intent to build the border wall with Mexican funding.
