New U.S. ambassador arrives in México with priorities on migration and pandemic
Ken Salazar, the new United States ambassador to México, arrived in the Mexican capital on Sept. 11, where he enunciated migration, the pandemic, security and climate change as his priorities.
“Together, the United States and México are stronger because we unite the capabilities, dreams, and hopes of both peoples. I come to México with pride in my Mexican roots and also in my American roots,” Salazar told the media at the Mexico City International Airport.
Salazar, who was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on Sept. 2, has yet to deliver his credentials to the president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, with whom he hopes to meet soon.
The diplomat arrives as the region grapples with a historic migratory flow, with 147,000 undocumented persons detected in México from January to August, triple that of 2020, and a record of 212,000 undocumented persons detained in July alone by the U.S. Office of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“I know that there are other things that are very important to all of us, (I will be) working to ensure that we have a migration system that works for the United States and also for México,” Salazar acknowledged.
The Democratic politician will assume the embassy in replacement of Christopher Landau, who had been appointed by Donald Trump in 2019 and left office last January when Joe Biden was sworn in.
The diplomat also arrives at the Embassy while the Government of México insists on the reopening of the common border, closed to non-essential travel since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I know that we are also joining now with President López Obrador and the people of México to ensure that together we are going to put this pandemic, which has been a global pandemic, that we, humans, are going to conquer this pandemic,” Salazar said.
Energy
The official recalled that he held the positions of Colorado attorney general, senator and secretary of the Interior in the presidency of Barack Obama between 2009 and 2013, when he prioritized the energy transition.
His diplomatic management will also be marked by a growing claim from U.S. companies to the Biden administration, which is required to pressure México for new energy policies that prioritize fossil fuels from state companies.
“We have to work, to ensure that we have a planet, our home, that we are going to pass on to our children and to generations to come, in a better condition (than) that we find,” the official commented without referring to the policy of México.
Security
Security will also be another priority issue, Salazar said.
Officials from the U.S. Department of Defense have warned that drug cartels control about a third of Mexican territory.
Meanwhile, the Mexican government sued on Aug. 11 companies that manufacture and sell weapons, which it accuses of negligence for facilitating illicit trafficking and producing models for drug trafficking.
“I also know that the safety of the people of the United States and the people of Mexico is something that is too important for us, the two countries,” Salazar said without referring to a specific fact.
Esta historia fue publicada originalmente el 13 de septiembre de 2021, 6:27 p. m..