Ken Salazar eases tension with AMLO and thanks him for the Energy Reform meeting

On Saturday, the United States Ambassador to Mexico sent a message of thanks to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and climate envoy John Kerry for Thursday's meeting, which he called “good and sincere.”

Kerry noted that at the meeting they addressed the issue of clean energy production and considered important discussions with US companies that invest in Mexico in this field.

The message follows the versions found this Friday between the governments of both countries following the March 31 meeting.

This Friday, Salazar publicly said that at the meeting with López Obrador he commented on the principles that should govern the energy sector in the region so that the use of renewable energy and North American integration can be accelerated, and compliance with the Free Trade Agreement between the three nations.

During his last morning conference of the week, President López Obrador said that the delegation led by Kerry accepted that the Mexican government-led Energy Reform does not violate the Free Trade Agreement, adding that he made it clear that he would not accept the US government sending an accompaniment group for this bill.

“Yesterday we were with Mr. Kerry with businessmen and they were explained the reason for this initiative and apparently they felt taken care of and satisfied because it is not true that the initiative has to do with promoting dirty energy,” said the Mexican president.

For his part, John Kerry, the United States Special Envoy for Climate, said after the meeting of more than five hours in the National Palace that the United States will create a special team to analyze the electricity reform proposed by the Mexican government, although he did not specify its objectives.

Already on Friday afternoon, the US embassy issued a statement in which it clarified that the representatives of their country expressed their concern to Mexican officials about the risks that this change in the rules of the energy industry could have due to the environmental impact and investment risk.

AMLO considered that there is no place for a group sent by a foreign government to follow this project closely, but acknowledged that it committed itself with the US delegation to provide them with a copy of the initiative that will be processed in Congress so that they know in detail its scope. Questioned whether John Kerry proposed the creation of this working group, the Tabasqueño replied:

“There is a big difference between listening, informing, talking, communicating. What is communication? , are messages back and forth. There is a lot of difference to impose, a group to watch us, to observe us, that is because no one allows it. Maybe yes, in other times, governments, submissives, surrenders, but these are no longer the times before,” he emphasized.

He stressed that very good relations are maintained with the United States government, which is very clear about Mexico's sovereignty.

“We have very good relations with the US government, they have been very respectful of our sovereignty. It is as if I go to the United States and propose to President Biden that he lower the price of gasoline by decree... with good reason he would say to me 'what are you getting into? stop being a salamero, said AMLO with laughs.

“Well, there weren't really any protests, they were very respectful. There was the manager of Sempra and other very important entrepreneurs in the energy sector and he agreed that they will have more communication with the (Mexican) secretaries,” he said.

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