US Ambassador to Mexico will work on a bilateral immigration solution
US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar opens dialogue on immigration
Photo: José Méndez / EFE
MEXICO CITY – The United States Ambassador to Mexico Ken salazar pointed out this Saturday that the two countries must work together to resolve the issue migratory, which has worsened in recent months.
“We are committed to reaching a solution and between the United States and Mexico, we will try to find solutions,” said Salazar during his first conference as ambassador to Mexico from his residence.
Although he assured that the theme of the immigration, especially the one that has occurred in recent months since Haiti, It was not the focus of the meeting of the meeting on Friday, Salazar recognized that this is an issue that worries both countries.
“It is a very important issue for both countries, it is an important issue for the Western Hemisphere,” he said.
He also said that, like security, it is an issue that has to be addressed by authorities from both countries and added: “we have a lot to do.”
He noted that both governments agree that what has to be done “is to see how we give hope, create jobs and give better opportunities” to migrants.
He revealed that next November he will meet with governors of southern Mexican states, as well as with non-governmental organizations and private initiative, to address the situation because, he said, “it is necessary to create opportunities” so that people do not leave their places of employment. origin.
The region registers in recent months a historical migratory flow with 147,000 undocumented persons detected in the country from January to August, triple that of 2020, and a record 212,000 undocumented persons detained in July alone by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Historic agreement
Salazar rated the new as historic Bicentennial understanding agreed on Friday by Mexico and the United States, while highlighting the willingness to cooperate between governments.
“The Bicentennial agreement between Mexico and the United States is something historic,” he said.
He said that in the High Level Security Dialogue that took place on Friday in Mexico City, various issues were addressed, but the most important was the one related to security, where officials from both nations agreed to work together “as friends, neighbors and partners. ”.
He recognized that violence is a problem that concerns both nations “there is violence and the Mexican and American peoples in a way in which they cannot live safely,” he said.
He admitted that it is important to work on it and assured that the new Bicentennial Understanding “is to protect the peoples, the people on both sides of the border and within our nations.”
On Friday, the governments of Mexico and the United States initiated a security “alliance” in which they will be “equal partners” after replacing the Merida Initiative with the new Bicentennial Understanding after the High Level Security Dialogue.
The Entendimthe Bicentennial, so named because 200 years of diplomatic relations will be celebrated in 2022, it replaces the Merida Initiative, a 2008 strategy based on a military approach promoted by former presidents George W. Bush and Felipe Calderón.
The new framework is based on three pillars: investment in public health to combat addictions and homicides, prevent cross-border crime by reducing arms, drug and human trafficking, and dismantle criminal networks by targeting people linked to illicit financing.
Salazar He assured that despite the changes, the United States will maintain the budget that was granted to the Merida initiative and warned that now the difference will be that the money “can be managed more effectively.”
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