Trudeau: I discussed energy disagreement with Lopez Obrador very directly

Mexico City, Jan 11 (EFE).- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that he discussed his country’s energy disagreement with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador very directly during their bilateral meeting within the framework of the North American Leaders Summit in Mexico City.

The Canadian leader told reporters at a press conference that he had had very blunt talks with Lopez Obrador, widely known as AMLO, on energy reforms.

Trudeau said that their discussion continued the talks they had held in November 2021, when they met in Washington and where, he said, he emphasized the fact that a significant Canadian investment in renewable energy in Mexico was “good” for both the Mexican economy and the environment.

“President Lopez Obrador was very open to meeting with different businesses, to working with our ministers and our civil servants to make sure the (energy) issues are resolved,” Trudeau told reporters after meeting with AMLO, adding that the Mexican leader also agreed to help work on climate change issues and to protect the environment, promising to continue working closely with Canada.

When questioned about his talk with Lopez Obrador, whom one reporter characterized as “skeptical” about trade, Trudeau said he did not agree with that characterization, saying that his discussion with AMLO focused largely on the opportunity the two nations will have in a more integrated North American trade regimen.

He said that the Mexican leader had been “extremely positive” about the increase in trade in recent years between Mexico and Canada, and in general throughout the North American region.

Trudeau said AMLO appeared to be very enthused about the increase in Canadian investment in Mexico.

He acknowledged that there are issues on which the two nations still must do some work but said he was “optimistic” about the Mexican leader’s response and the commitments made to work “constructively” with Canadian firms.

The Canadian prime minister thus concluded his three-day visit to Mexico, where he had met with business leaders from his nation, Mexico and the United States, in addition to meeting with AMLO and US President Joe Biden.

Mexico this week hosted the North American Leaders Summit, where among the main issues the leaders and top officials from the three nations discussed were immigration, fentanyl trafficking, trade integration and semiconductor production.

EFE –/bp