While we Mexicans focus our attention on the duel between Claudia Sheinbaum and Xóchitl Gálvez, Andrés Manuel decided to extend his borders. With the national elections of June 2 practically resolved, the president pointed his finger towards the shores, highlighting the elections to watch: the United States presidential election.
Aware of the dangers that the next November 5 election will pose for Mexico, Obrador has betrayed his localist customs by granting an interview to Sharyn Alfonsi, a journalist for the CBS program
60 Minutes
, one of the world's television titans.
In the dialogue, AMLO addressed thorny issues that both Biden and Trump—presumptive contenders in the upcoming elections—have used as campaign banners. Among others, the immigration and border crisis.
In relation to immigration challenges, Andrés Manuel denied that Mexico will simply abide by the guidelines of the United States. Instead, he suggested that that country should allocate $20 billion annually to the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, lift sanctions on Venezuela, end the embargo on Cuba and grant citizenship to Mexicans living illegally in that territory and They comply with the law.
Regarding the security risks of both countries, the president vehemently repudiated any suggestion of interventionism. On the contrary, he expressed his willingness to continue carrying out collaborative actions with full respect for our independence.
Faced with the proposal to build the aforementioned border wall—Donald Trump's perpetual campaign promise—Obrador dismissed it as mere propaganda and recalled why it is an unrealistic idea. First of all, he pointed out the current economic treaty that has favored both nations. Secondly, he highlighted that Trump is aware of the existence of tunnels that connect Tijuana with San Diego and that pass under US customs. Building the wall would be as expensive as it was useless.
I'm telling you Juan so you can listen to me, Pedro. Obrador's message is intended for Mexicans in the United States: the second minority behind the African-American community in the country. Those who, despite having historically supported the Democratic party, have begun to modify their voting intentions towards the Republicans.
AMLO, legally prevented from engaging in dialogue with voters on Mexican soil during the campaign period and aware of his legitimacy and extraordinary level of approval, has directed his megaphone to the electorate in the United States. The interviewer herself acknowledged this by pointing out that the president capable of decisively influencing the US elections resides in Mexico and has the last name López Obrador: an unprecedented recognition of the impact of a Mexican leader in the international political arena.
The president's foray into international media is as timely as it is unusual. Since he became president, he has maintained a distant and distrustful position toward the media. He has remained passive before the media—which he characterizes as instruments of manipulation—except for his morning conference. Since his inauguration and until a month ago, he had not granted more than two interviews: the last to an international media was to
Telemundo
during his visit to then-President Trump in July 2020. The last one accepted to a national media dates back to September of the same year. and it was for
La Jornada.
Four years later and a few months after concluding his mandate, the president has abandoned his usual behavior by accepting two new interviews from international media. The first was awarded to Inna Afigenova from
Canal Red
, from Pablo Iglesias: former vice president of Spain. A wink to the left. The second was assigned to
60 Minutes
in a more traditional format. A migrant boost.
Andrés Manuel begins to prepare his departure by taking care of what he considers essential and far-reaching. With one semester to go until his term ends, López Obrador becomes indispensable not only in the Mexican election, but also in the American one. It is an unexpected four-way play from someone who always played as the lamp of his house.
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