Mexican President Says The Country ‘Could Be Prepared’ To Reach A Deal on Migration

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador suggested Mexico might be ready to step up migration control measures in response to President Donald Trump’s tariff ultimatum.

Lopez Obrador said Mexico could be ready to strike a deal with the United States by helping prevent illegal border crossings into the U.S. during a news conference, Reuters reported.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard is leading a delegation set to meet with U.S. officials in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, and will attempt to reach an agreement over the border control issue.

Lopez Obrador said he expects “good results” from the negotiations, according to Reuters.

“The main thing is to inform about what we’re already doing on the migration issue, and if it’s necessary to reinforce these measures without violating human rights, we could be prepared to reach that deal,” Lopez Obrador said.

Trump announced Thursday his intention to place a 5% tariff on Mexican imports, starting June 10, until the issue of illegal immigration was addressed by the Mexican government.

On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP. The Tariff will gradually increase until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied,..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2019

The proposal of a tariff on Mexican trade goods has been met with resistance from both actors in the Mexican economy as well as U.S. businessmen and legislators concerned with the consequences placing such a tariff.

Lopez Obrador says that he is not interested in starting a trade war with the U.S, but says he has a “plan” in case Trump’s tariffs do take effect, according to Reuters. Details of the plan were not given.

“We’re doing all we can to reach a deal through dialogue,” Lopez Obrador said.

“We’re not going to get into a trade war, a war of tariffs and of taxes,” he continued.

Lopez Obrador’s expressed intention to potentially cooperate with Trump’s border control request comes following his letter accusing Trump of “turning the United States, overnight, from a country of brotherly love for immigrants” to a “bolted space, where there’s stigmatizing, mistreatment, abuse, persecution,” of immigrants.

Lopez Obrador’s account posted the letter on Twitter following Trump’s announcement of the tariff.

Al presidente Donald Trump en son de paz. https://t.co/5XdiY7hfeL

— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) May 31, 2019

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