Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Mexican Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena met on July 17, 2024, at the Colin L. Powell Treaty Room in Washington, D.C., to discuss ongoing bilateral issues and future collaborations.
Blinken began by welcoming Bárcena back to the State Department, praising her as an "extraordinary colleague" and expressing anticipation for her future role overseeing environmental matters in Mexico's new government. He congratulated the people of Mexico on their successful election and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, emphasizing continued cooperation with both Sheinbaum's incoming administration and current President López Obrador's government.
Blinken highlighted the strong partnership between the United States and Mexico, noting that it has never been better or more productive. He pointed out that both nations are working together on challenging issues such as irregular migration. "Thanks to the strong steps that Mexico has taken," Blinken said, there has been a significant decrease in irregular migrants at the border. He stressed the importance of ensuring migration is orderly, safe, and humane.
The discussion also covered economic collaboration through initiatives like the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Blinken emphasized efforts to strengthen supply chains, focus on critical technologies and minerals, and enhance competitiveness within the hemisphere.
On citizen security, Blinken acknowledged mutual responsibilities related to guns and drugs to ensure secure lives for citizens. He expressed pride in the results achieved through U.S.-Mexico cooperation and looked forward to further progress.
Foreign Secretary Bárcena reciprocated by expressing pleasure at being at the Department of State with her "very good friend" Blinken. She echoed his sentiments about the positive state of U.S.-Mexico relations and noted mechanisms of dialogue leading to fruitful conversations with tangible results.
Bárcena highlighted progress made in reducing irregular migration numbers through joint actions with regional governments since many migrants traveling through Mexico are from South America and Central America. She mentioned exploring labor mobility as a means to make migration more orderly and secure.
Regarding fentanyl trafficking, Bárcena commended progress made under a global alliance created by Blinken, stating that Mexico is working hard to stop precursors from reaching the U.S. She praised President López Obrador's firm stance on collaboration with President Biden’s administration across various issues including migration, fentanyl trafficking, security, arms trafficking, and economic prosperity.
Bárcena expressed optimism about North America's dynamic trade relationship valued at over $800 billion between Mexico and the U.S., highlighting its impact on commerce and trade across borders.
She concluded by mentioning her upcoming transition to oversee Environment and Natural Resources under President-elect Sheinbaum’s administration. Bárcena lauded Sheinbaum as a committed leader focused on prosperity, environment protection, renewable energies, predicting a bright future for U.S.-Mexico relations.
Both officials underscored their countries' commitment to continued collaboration across multiple fronts.
