A Conversation on the State of U.S.–Mexico Relations
A Conversation on the State of U.S.–Mexico Relations
Gerónimo Gutiérrez Fernández, Shannon K. O’Neil, and Ariane Ortiz-Bollin spoke with Noticias Telemundo’s Julio Vaqueiro about Trump, USMCA, and security.
Speakers
- Gerónimo Gutiérrez Fernández, former Ambassador of Mexico to the United States (2017–2018)
- Shannon K. O'Neil, Senior Vice President of Studies, Maurice R. Greenberg Chair, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
- Ariane Ortiz-Bollin, Head of Sovereign Americas, Moody's Ratings
- Julio Vaqueiro, Anchor, Noticias Telemundo (moderator)
“There was an implicit rule in the U.S.–Mexico relation for decades that is: trade issues are trade issues. They are separate. Security was one thing. Migration was the other. This time around you have what could be labeled as a three-dimension negotiation—or circus—going on," said Gerónimo Gutiérrez Fernández, former ambassador of Mexico to the United States, when asked about the current state of talks between the two countries.
Gutiérrez Fernández joined CFR’s Shannon K. O’Neil and Moody’s Ariane Ortiz-Bollin on February 3 at AS/COA's headquarters in New York to dive what the year might look like for the bilateral relationship, especially after the January 3 action in Venezuela. With moderator Julio Vaqueiro of Telemundo, they discussed how Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has navigated an evolving relationship with the United States and with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Ultimately, the big challenge that Mexico faces is domestic," said Ortiz-Bollin. “How is Mexico going to create the conditions to make it attractive for nearshoring or for investment within and beyond [Mexico], regardless of what the U.S. does?” she asked.
As the difficulties in the relationship put a question mark over this year's USMCA negotiations, O'Neill explained that the relationship between United States and Mexico is pretty good compared to the third partner in the North American trade deal, Canada. "If you look just to the north, to Canada, things have been quite rocky there and there’s been more threats of tariffs, and other sorts of things such as banning their planes from the United States... I think the Mexican government has managed quite well in that sense.”
