What's up with John Kerry: US Special Envoy for Climate arrives in Mexico this Thursday

This Thursday, the US government's Special Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, arrives in Mexico to meet with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, on what represents his second visit in just under two months.

Although the official agenda says that Kerry's visit is to continue bilateral talks between Mexico and the United States to accelerate the fight against climate change, the fact is that the presence of the senior US official has generated great expectations.

And it happens only a few days after the head of the US Northern Command, Glen Van Herck, assured that the largest number of Russian intelligence agents are in Mexico.

“I would like to point out that most of the GRU (Glavnoye Razvedyvatelnoye Upravlenie) members in the world are in Mexico at the moment. Those are Russian intelligence personnel. And they are closely monitoring their opportunities to have influence in the United States,” he said when he appeared before the Senate of the American Union on Thursday, March 24.

The next day, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that Mexico “is not a colony of Russia, nor of China, nor of the United States.”

“It's a statement. We are not going to question anything, we are respectful of the free manifestation of ideas. Mexico is a free, independent, sovereign country... it must be known more and more because sometimes it seems that it is not understood enough, we must send them telegrams warning them that Mexico is not a colony of any foreign country, that Mexico is a free, independent and sovereign country. That we are not a colony of Russia, nor of China, nor of the United States,” he emphasized at his morning conference on Friday, March 25.

López Obrador stressed that he has no information about the alleged presence of Russian spies, but emphasized that Mexico does not allow anyone to commit illegal activities on national soil.

During his morning conference on Wednesday, March 30, López Obrador was directly questioned for his opinion on Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine for more than a month, leaving thousands dead so far.

“He is a leader,” said President López Obrador. “I don't rate anyone. It is not Mexico's policy to insult anyone, any government (...) Mexico is respectful of all governments and is not a colony,” he said.

But Kerry's arrival also happens at another crucial moment: it comes a few days before the discussion of electricity reform, an issue on which the United States has publicly expressed its concern.

According to an information card from the US department, the official will visit Mexico City (CDMX) this Thursday to meet with Andrés Manuel López Obrador, U.S. officials and businessmen living in the country.

The last time the Mexican president met with Kerry was on February 9, when they agreed to “greatly increase” the potential for producing clean energy and form an inter-agency task force like the one they integrated on security issues.

That meeting had another precedent: it happened days after the US ambassador to our country, Ken Salazar, openly endorsed President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's electricity reform initiative, assuring that the president “is right” to want to implement changes in the sector.

The US ambassador's statements came after in January, US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm expressed Washington's “concerns” about the “potential negative impact” of electricity reform.

The initiative, which is intended to be discussed in the Chamber of Deputies in the middle of Holy Week - after the Mandate Revocation to be held on Sunday, April 10 - aims to limit private participation in electricity generation to 46% in favor of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), a state-owned company , with 54 per cent.

In addition, it is also intended to review previous contracts with private companies, prioritize CFE plants over renewable energy plants held by private individuals, as well as eliminate autonomous energy regulators, among other points.

When questioned about Kerry's visit in this context of the analysis of the electricity reform, Andrés Manuel López Obrador assured that it will be at a lunch with the US official and businessmen, who will be explained what this Mexican government initiative consists of.

“We are going to receive being Kerry today and there will also be businessmen from the US energy sector and there is going to be a meeting, they will be informed about our clean energy generation plan, the purpose of strengthening Pemex, the Federal Electricity Commission; that is, companies public. And at the same time defining which strategic minerals will be managed by companies in the nation such as lithium and that in the case of the electricity industry, it is being ensured that the initiative can guarantee the domestic and foreign private sector in 46% of the market (and) 54% will be reserved for the Federal Commission of Electricity”, he said at his morning conference this Thursday.

The Mexican president assured that John Kerry and Ambassador Ken Salazar “have helped a lot” in the matter.

“Fortunately, Mr. Kerry and Ambassador Ken Salazar and also businessmen (from the United States) have helped a lot, they are willing to have an agreement reached, to regularize their situation (...),” he said.

“And of course we want private and foreign investment, but not that way. So I hope it will be a very good meeting, because we are going to seek agreements, we are not in an uncompromising position, we want to have good relations with the US government, with the businessmen of the United States and with all businessmen,” López Obrador emphasized.

When questioned whether current contracts will be respected, the Mexican president assured that yes, as long as they adhere to what those agreements indicate.

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