Kamala Harris affirms that Mexico and the U.S. are entering a “new era”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris affirmed Tuesday that together with Mexico, they are entering a “new era” after meeting with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his cabinet.

“I firmly believe that we are embarking on a new era,” she said during the meeting at the National Palace with the Mexican president’s team.

Kamala Harris arrived at the National Palace on Tuesday to witness with López Obrador the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the governments of both countries on immigration cooperation.

The signing took place in the Patio de Honor of the presidential palace, decorated with Mexican and U.S. flags, just after López Obrador received Harris and minutes before the two held a private meeting.

Afterward, she was photographed on the steps of the National Palace before the private meeting between the delegations of both countries.

On the Mexican side, several high-ranking Mexican officials participated in the meeting, including the Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard; the Secretary of the Interior, Olga Sánchez Cordero; and the National Immigration Institute’s head Francisco Garduño.

The US delegation, headed by Harris, also included the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Mexico, John S. Creamer, and the US Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle of Central America Ricardo Zúñiga, among others.

Also in attendance was Juan Gonzalez, Special Assistant to President Joe Biden and Senior Director of the Western Hemisphere Security Council.

The meeting lasted approximately an hour and a half, and at the beginning of the meeting, López Obrador thanked the visit and highlighted the good understanding between the two countries.

In turn, Harris said: “As you said, the United States and Mexico have a long-standing relationship, based on family, shared borders (…) and a shared history. I firmly believe that we are embarking on a new era”.

At around 12.15 local time (17.15 GMT), Foreign Minister Ebrard reported that the meeting had concluded.

“They addressed the economy and high-level dialogue, cooperation for security, development in southern Mexico and Central America. It was a very successful meeting!” he said on Twitter.

After meeting with López Obrador and his cabinet, the vice president will travel to a central hotel in the capital. She will meet with women entrepreneurs and labor sector leaders and later meet with the media before leaving for Washington.