We are going to have a break, I did not talk about a break with Spain, says AMLO 1:12
(CNN Spanish) --
The Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, called the Mexican Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard, to clarify the comments of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on relations between the two countries, confirmed a spokesman for the Spanish Foreign Ministry to CNN.
The call, which was made on Wednesday night, "was in a cordial tone," explained the spokesman without offering details of what was discussed.
This Thursday, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement rejecting "categorically the disqualifications made" by López Obrador.
"Spain and Mexico are strategic partners and we are united by deep human, cultural, historical, linguistic and economic ties," the statement detailed.
And he added that “more than 175,000 Spaniards live in Mexico and about 30,000 Mexicans reside in our country.
Spain is the second investor in Mexico and has 7,000 companies in that country.
Spanish investment rises above 70,000 million euros and Mexican investment in Spain exceeds 25,000 million”.
The statement also reiterates that the Government of Spain wants relations based on mutual respect "without these types of demonstrations."
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President of Mexico suggests "pausing" relationship with Spain
Former ambassador says that AMLO exercises diplomatic vandalism 2:41
AMLO's controversial words about Spain
López Obrador suggested on Wednesday a "pause" in the relationship with Spain until a new government arrives amid tense ties with the former colonial power.
During his daily press conference, López Obrador said: “I would like us to postpone normalization to give ourselves a break that I think is good for us Mexicans and Spaniards.”
President López Obrador said that Spanish companies were benefiting from policies that favored private interests.
"Now the relationship is not good, I would like it to take us until it normalizes, to take a break," said the Mexican president.
"I think it's going to suit us, Mexicans and Spaniards... because it was a conspiracy at the top, political economic promiscuity... like three six-year terms in a row. And Mexico had the worst of it."
With information from Karol Suárez and Al Goodman, from CNN.
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