Will Another 'Three Amigos' Summit Happen Soon?
Mexico City Partner Carlos Véjar was interviewed for a Latin America Advisor article on the outlook for the U.S.-Mexico relationship once U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden takes office. Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador was among the last world leaders to congratulate Biden on his win, which many viewed as a bad omen for future bilateral relations. Mr. Véjar cautioned against that approach, saying that event alone could not be used as a predictor for the U.S.-Mexico relationship. He added that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will be a central focus for both administrations and that labor, energy and environmental issues will be likely sources of tension between the two countries.
"[S]uch a single event, which should be irrelevant, cannot override the fact that it was under AMLO's watch that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) negotiations took place, meaning there are no grounds to forecast a negative U.S.-Mexico relationship from a single protocol decision," Mr. Véjar said. "The truth is that there are too many other things that will occupy the attention of the two countries' bilateral agenda that are quite unlikely to be solved through a new 'Three Amigos' gathering or other friendship gestures. Without a doubt, USMCA will become a central piece for both the U.S. and Mexican administrations, much more than the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)."