Mexican president to send letter to Trump addressing immigration and trade concerns

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has announced that he will send a letter to former President Donald Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, to address concerns over immigration and economic relations.

Obrador aims to clarify the need for open borders and dispel misconceptions that migrants are responsible for drug trafficking in the United States, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Despite his previous support for Trump, López Obrador's letter comes in response to the candidate's hardline anti-immigration stance and protectionist economic policies, which have created tension between the two neighbouring countries. With over 1,250 miles of shared border, Trump's campaign promises to enforce strict immigration controls and protectionist measures pose significant risks to Mexico's economic interests.

In his morning briefing, Obrador stated, "I am going to send a letter to my friend Donald Trump because I believe he is not well informed about the immigration issue and the importance of maintaining economic integration between the United States, Mexico, and Canada." He emphasized that migrants contribute positively to the US economy and argued that they do not bring drugs into the country, challenging Trump's narrative.

Trump has been accused of using the US-Mexico border as a political tool, with promises to shut it down and implement extensive deportation programs if re-elected. During his first term, Trump's administration pressured Mexico through tariffs and other economic measures, leading to the implementation of policies like the Migration Protection Protocols or Title 42, which forced migrants to stay in Mexico.

The Mexican leader also warned that Trump's proposed protectionist policies could undermine the economic integration fostered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). He cautioned that a closed border would quickly become unfeasible, adversely affecting US producers, manufacturers, and workers.