López Obrador exhibits a treatment between equals with the United States and deepens his commitment to sovereignty

Joe Biden during the call with Andrés Manuel López Obrador.KEVIN LAMARQUE / Reuters

"Not a single discrepancy."

The summary that Andrés Manuel López Obrador made this Tuesday of the first meeting with Joe Biden is the description of a bilateral relationship in which the presidents of Mexico and the United States seek to rehearse a new stage of collaboration and, at the same time, it is the exhibition of a deal from you to you.

The agenda of the meeting held on Monday, marked by the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, migration and the strategy for development, had to do with diplomacy, but above all with domestic politics.

And the words with which the appointment has been most defined from Mexico are also the ideological compendium of López Obrador's project: respect and sovereignty.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said on Tuesday that in his first meeting with Joe Biden there was not a single discrepancy.José Méndez / EFE

After the years of pragmatism that accompanied the relationship with Donald Trump, in which López Obrador agreed to the harsh demands of Washington on immigration matters, a cycle begins that, at least on paper, may be more in line with the principles of the Government Mexican.

The leaders arrived at the meeting, convened virtually, with a series of potential friction points: from the economy - starting with the imminent approval of an electricity reform that harms foreign investment - to the case of Salvador Cienfuegos, the former defense secretary. accused of drug trafficking by the DEA, arrested in California, extradited and finally exonerated by the Mexican Prosecutor's Office.

However, based on the atmosphere at the beginning of the conversation, which was public, and the subsequent statements, it was clear that both had an interest in conveying the feeling of equal treatment.

“The two presidents reaffirmed the deep partnership between both countries, based on mutual respect and the extraordinary bond of family and friendship that unites us.

The leaders pledged to work together to combat the covid-19 pandemic, revitalize economic cooperation and explore areas of collaboration in the face of climate change.

They also highlighted the importance of fighting corruption and cooperating on security matters ”, stated a joint statement released at the end of the meeting.

Just before the videoconference, the White House had made an announcement that thwarted one of López Obrador's central demands.

Biden Administration spokeswoman Jen Psaki ruled out in an appearance that Washington is willing, at least for now, to share its vaccine stocks with Mexico and other countries.

An approach that clashes head-on with the vision of the AMLO government, which two weeks ago led the United Nations Security Council to protest an unequal distribution of doses.

The numbers speak: in the United States, more than 75 million vaccines have been administered, while in Mexico about 2.5 million have been administered.

Even so, the Mexican president took another insight from the meeting.

“To clear up doubts and misunderstandings, there was a very understanding attitude from President Biden on this issue to our approach, and the teams of the two countries will see what is possible and when.

But there was a very good disposition, so we will report in due course, "he said in his morning press conference.

“When an agreement is reached, the teams of the two countries will explore all the possibilities of cooperation in this matter.

What I can say to the people of Mexico is that there was acceptance of our proposal about the need we have to face the pandemic in the best possible way and the need for vaccines.

I cannot say that the agreement has already been reached, nor that there was no agreement, ”he added when asked about it.

López Obrador wanted to highlight the atmosphere in which the conversation took place: “In general, it was a friendly and respectful meeting with a lot of emphasis on cooperation for development.

There was no discrepancy, I say so categorically, not a single discrepancy.

It was a respectful conversation and I think it was very good for both countries, especially for the peoples of our two nations.

We will deal with practically all the topics on the agenda and we will agree to meet again even if it happens in these ways, but the bilateral dialogue will continue ”.

The president, who invited Biden to visit the rural roads of Oaxaca, celebrates the commitment of the new US Administration to North America.

"We were not always the best neighbors, however we made progress when we cooperated," said Biden, who recalled that already during the Barack Obama administration it was decided to treat the neighboring country "on an equal footing."

The Mexican president spoke of the Virgin of Guadalupe, of Benito Juárez and quoted a phrase attributed to Porfirio Díaz.

“Poor Mexico, so far from God, and so close to the US I can now say blessed Mexico, so close to God and not so far from the United States.

I believe that our neighborhood will allow us to develop better in these times ”.

He added: “You want there to be an equal footing in our relations, for there to be respect for our sovereignty, and this is very important.

We have to cooperate with development independently, with autonomy ”.

That idea of ​​sovereignty is the one highlighted at the end of the meeting by the Chancellor, Marcelo Ebrard.

“I accompanied President López Obrador in his conversation with President Biden.

The most outstanding?

Easy and friendly communication.

Renaissance of a common vision in North America.

Respect for sovereignty, equal treatment and wisdom to process differences ”, he wrote on his social networks.

This is the starting point set to test a new relationship, the framework in which the two leaders drew some common lines.

Both recognized, for example, "the multiple contributions of migrants to the economic strength, cultural diversity, and innovative spirit of Mexico and the United States."

and "they pledged to promote migration policies that recognize the dignity of migrants, as well as the imperative of orderly, safe and regular migration."

They agreed to deepen collaboration in the fight against the pandemic, especially along the border.

They also talked about climate change and energy efficiency.

However, it was not revealed whether they expressed their differences regarding the reform promoted by López Obrador to strengthen the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), a state company, against private initiative.

The United States Chamber of Commerce harshly criticized the measure and even raised a problem of violation of the free trade agreement between the two countries and Canada, the T-MEC.

But that is also a debate that is related to the notion of sovereignty defended by the Government.

"No discrepancy," López Obrador limited himself to assuring.

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