US lawmakers to meet Mexican president in Veracruz this weekend

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday that "ten or twelve" US senators and representatives will meet him in Veracruz, Mexico's eastern coast, to talk about immigration, security, and the North American trilateral commercial treaty, the USMCA.

The US lawmakers will arrive at Veracruz port in San Juan de Ulua on Sunday.

According to reports, US Special Climate Envoy John Kerry will accompany the Mexican president to Oaxaca, southeast Mexico, where they will discuss renewable energies.

"We are going to have a meeting in Veracruz Port, and we are going to discuss several topics. We will deal with the immigration issue, the (USMCA) treaty, security, basically, we will deal with several issues," said Lopez Obrador.

The visit follows the recent spat between Lopez Obrador and US Republican members of Congress after the Republican lawmakers taunted a law initiative that would enable the US military to deploy troops in Mexican territory.

The move drew the anger of the Mexican leader, who promised to launch a campaign requesting Mexicans and other Latin Americans living in the US not to vote for the Republican party.

According to Lopez Obrador, an open press conference will be held on March 19, where the US delegation and the Mexican president will brief on their meeting.

This visit would follow the last meeting with US lawmakers on Feb. 20, when Senator Maggie Hassan, Senator Tom Carper, and Congressmen Lou Correa, Dan Kildee, Don Beyer, and Jerry Carl met with Lopez Obrador to discuss free trade, migration, and security.

"The relationship with the US is respectful, cooperative, and for the benefit of our peoples," wrote Lopez Obrador on Twitter on Feb. 20.