Mexican president expects to soon meet with Trump

Government wants common ground with Trump’s team on trade, immigration issues before new US president takes office

By Nancy Caouette

MEXICO CITY (AA) – President Enrique Pena Nieto is confident dialogue would soon being with Donald Trump’s team to find points of agreements on trade and immigration issues, he said Tuesday.

“It will be a dialogue based on three core values: optimism, pragmatism and the defense of basic principles which are not negotiable, as our sovereignty and the protection of our citizens,” Pena Nieto said during a Business Summit in Puebla.

Admitting Trump’s election win has caused uncertainty in Mexico, Pena Nieto said he has an optimistic view of Mexico based on the strength of its economy and its competitive advantages such as macroeconomic stability, exchange rate flexibility and the independence of the central bank.

“There is reason to be deeply optimistic. Mexico has an excellent geographical location, our country is the bridge between Latin America and North America," he said.

Pena Nieto said he called Trump to congratulate him on his victory and they agreed to meet

“preferably during the transition period, to define with all clarity the course that the relationship between both countries must take”.

Concern has grown since Trump’s election win that he would renegotiate or scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

About 80 percent of Mexico’s exports are shipped to the U.S., accounting for 29 percent of the gross domestic product of Mexico.

Trump said last week that he would deport or jail as 2 - 3 million undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes in the United States.

A spokesman for the Mexico’s president said the Pena Nieto’s administration is working on a plan to address the potential mass deportations after Trump takes office in January.

"President Pena Nieto has asked to identify where there could be contingencies in all the agencies of the state," Eduardo Sanchez said at a news conference Monday.

Sanchez added that Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz is coordinating efforts to be ready in case Trump follows through with his promise.

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