Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador: The 60 Minutes Interview
Summary
TLDRMexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known as AMLO, discusses his approach to immigration, the economy, and the drug cartels in a candid interview. He asserts that his policies are aimed at addressing the root causes of migration and reducing violence, while also maintaining a strong economic relationship with the United States. AMLO's tenure has seen a drop in homicides and a growth in the economy, but critics question his handling of corruption and democratic checks and balances. As Mexico faces upcoming elections, the president's actions and policies could significantly impact the future of the country and its relationship with the US.
Takeaways
- 🌟 Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) won a landslide victory in 2018 with promises to combat corruption, poverty, and crime.
- 🗣️ AMLO believes that former President Donald Trump's threats to build a wall and shut down the border were bluffing, based on mutual economic understanding.
- 📉 During a phone call with Trump, AMLO offered to send videos of tunnels under US Customs to highlight the ineffectiveness of a wall.
- 🤝 AMLO has maintained that Mexico and the US need each other economically, as evidenced by their signed commercial agreement.
- 📈 After a record number of migrants overwhelmed the US-Mexico border, AMLO worked with Central American and Venezuelan leaders to curb migration, resulting in a 50% drop in migrant crossings.
- 💰 AMLO proposed that the United States commit $20 billion a year to poor countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, lift sanctions on Venezuela, end the Cuban embargo, and legalize undocumented Mexicans in the US.
- 🚨 Despite AMLO's efforts, migration numbers began to rise again by February, and the border patrol expects a sharp increase in the spring.
- 🛑 Critics accuse AMLO of using 'diplomatic blackmail' to secure border cooperation, but he insists on speaking frankly and maintaining a crucial relationship with the US.
- 🏛️ AMLO's daily televised press conferences are a platform for him to address the public directly, often criticizing the elite and perceived enemies.
- 🏆 AMLO's approval rating has remained high, with his administration focusing on social programs, infrastructure, and increasing the minimum wage, pensions, and scholarships.
Q & A
What key issues have emerged in the presidential election mentioned in the transcript?
-Immigration, the border, and the economy are the key issues that have emerged in the presidential election discussed in the transcript.
Who is AMLO and what is his full name?
-AMLO is the widely known initials for Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the President of Mexico who won a landslide victory in 2018.
What were the promises made by AMLO during his campaign in 2018?
-AMLO promised to root out corruption, reduce poverty, and violent crime during his campaign in 2018.
How does AMLO view the possibility of Donald Trump building a wall or shutting down the border?
-AMLO believes that when Donald Trump talks about building a wall or shutting down the border, he is bluffing, as their countries have mutual economic interests and understanding.
What did AMLO propose to the United States regarding Latin America and the Caribbean?
-AMLO proposed that the United States commit $20 billion a year to poor countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, lift sanctions on Venezuela, end the Cuban embargo, and legalize millions of law-abiding Mexicans living in the US.
What short-term solutions did Mexico implement to curb the flow of migrants?
-Mexico increased patrols at the border, flew some migrants to the southern part of Mexico, and deported others. They also spoke with Central American, Venezuelan, and Cuban presidents for help in curbing the flow of migrants.
How has AMLO's approach to dealing with drug cartels differed from his approach to the press?
-AMLO has taken a softer approach with drug cartels by dissolving the federal police, creating a National Guard for public security, and investing in job creation for young people. In contrast, he has had bare-knuckle brawls with the press, including reading a New York Times reporter's phone number on live television.
What is AMLO's response to critics who say he is popular because he gives people money?
-AMLO acknowledges that they are partly right, stating that their formula is to prevent corruption and allocate savings to the people, focusing on social programs like doubling the minimum wage, increasing pensions, and scholarships.
How has AMLO addressed the issue of corruption in Mexico?
-AMLO claims that he has basically gotten rid of corruption in Mexico, starting from the top down, although Transparency International reports no improvement in the corruption problems that have plagued Mexico for decades.
What is AMLO's stance on the upcoming elections in Mexico?
-AMLO believes there is no threat to democracy despite the increase in government officials and candidates being murdered. He states that all parties have many candidates participating and there is no state repression.
What are AMLO's plans after leaving office?
-AMLO plans to retire from politics and write books after leaving office.
How does AMLO describe his daily televised press conferences?
-AMLO describes his daily televised press conferences as a circular dialogue, a form of responding to a Lial (public criticism or slander), and a way to dissect fake news.
Outlines
🗣️ AMLO's Perspective on Immigration, Trade, and Relations with the US
Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), nearing the end of his term, discussed his administration's approach to immigration, trade, the fentanyl crisis, and relations with the US. AMLO shared his views on President Trump's threats to build a border wall, emphasizing bluff and the importance of US-Mexico economic agreements. Despite differing views, he highlighted the effectiveness of mutual cooperation with the US, citing a significant drop in migrant crossings after collaboration with Central American countries. AMLO proposed a $20 billion investment from the US to address the root causes of migration and emphasized the importance of maintaining cooperation, regardless of US actions on immigration and trade.
🔍 AMLO's Governance: Austerity, Public Engagement, and Challenges
AMLO's governance is marked by austerity measures, such as selling the presidential jet and cars, and daily press briefings where he addresses the nation and combats what he perceives as fake news. His approach to drug cartels, favoring 'hugs not bullets,' aims to reduce violence by investing in social programs, although this has faced criticism regarding its effectiveness against cartels and drug trafficking. AMLO disputes claims about Mexico's role in fentanyl production, attributing drug problems in the US to societal issues. He insists that Mexico's economic growth and low unemployment are due to his policies, despite criticism. AMLO's emphasis on mega-projects and social programs reflects his commitment to addressing long-term development goals.
📈 Economic Initiatives and Political Outlook as AMLO Nears Term End
As AMLO's term nears its end, he focuses on major infrastructure projects and social welfare programs, aiming to boost Mexico's development and tourism. Despite facing criticism for not adequately addressing corruption and violence, AMLO's approval ratings remain high. He defends his administration's achievements against claims of increasing violence and corruption, arguing that his policies have made significant impacts. The upcoming elections pose challenges with cartel influence, but AMLO remains optimistic about Mexico's democratic resilience and his party's prospects. He plans to retire from politics after his term, leaving his successor to navigate Mexico's future challenges.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Immigration
💡Border
💡Economy
💡AMLO
💡Fentanyl Crisis
💡Cartels
💡White House
💡Corruption
Highlights
Immigration, the border, and the economy are key issues in the presidential election.
Mexico's President André Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) is a potential influential figure in the election.
AMLO won the 2018 election on promises to combat corruption, poverty, and crime.
AMLO believes that Donald Trump's threats to build a wall and shut down the border are bluffs.
AMLO and Trump had an agreement not to discuss the wall during their interactions.
Mexico's increased vigilance at the southern border contributed to a 50% drop in migrant crossings.
AMLO proposed that the U.S. commit $20 billion a year to poor countries to address migration root causes.
AMLO's approach to drug cartels involves job creation and a focus on 'hugs, not bullets'.
Homicides in Mexico have dropped by almost 20% since AMLO took office.
AMLO argues that fentanyl is produced in multiple countries, not just Mexico.
Mexico became America's top trading partner, highlighting the mutual dependency between the two countries.
AMLO's administration has focused on social programs, increasing the minimum wage, and scholarships.
AMLO claims to have significantly reduced corruption in Mexico.
Mexico is set to have one of its largest elections in history, with 20,000 local positions up for grabs.
AMLO's handpicked successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, is leading in the polls and could become Mexico's first female president.
AMLO plans to retire from politics and write books after leaving office.
The actions at the border could shape the next chapter of the United States.
Transcripts
immigration the border and the economy
have emerged as key issues in this
year's presidential election and may
determine who wins the white house but
the person who could tip the scales for
either candidate is another president
Mexico's president Andre Manuel Lopez
orador widely known by his initials amlo
charismatic and often combative amlo won
a landslide victory in 2018 on the
promise to root out corruption reduce
poverty and violent crime now 70 years
old and in the final stretch of his term
we met the president in Mexico City for
a candid conversation about his handling
of immigration trade the fentel crisis
and the cartels and he told us why he
thinks When Donald Trump says he's going
to shut down the Border or build a wall
he's
bluffing the story will continue in a
moment
president Trump is saying he wants to
build a wall again in on the campaign
but you don't think he'd actually do it
because no because he needs
Mexico because we understood each other
very well we signed an economic a
commercial agreement that has been
favorable for both peoples for both
Nations he knows it and President Biden
the same what about the people that'll
say oh but the Wall
Works it doesn't work and president
Lopez oor says he told that to then
president Trump during a phone call they
were supposed to be discussing the
pandemic it was an agreement not to
speak about the wall because we were not
going to agree and then you talked about
it that was the only
time and I told him I'm going to send
you Mr President some videos of tunnels
from Tijana up to San Diego that passed
right under US Customs he stayed quiet
and then he started laughing and told me
I can't win with you we met president
andrees Manuel Lopez oidor at Mexico's
national Palace earlier this month with
6 months left on his six-year term Lopez
opra door's power in Mexico and
influence in the United States has never
been greater the White House witnessed
it here last December when a record
250,000 migrants overwhelm the US
Southern border with Mexico President
Biden called you sent his secretary of
state what did they say to you and what
did they ask for from
you for us to try and contain the flow
of
migration a month later US Customs and
Border Patrol reported the number of
Migrant Crossings dropped by 50% so what
did you do between December and
January that changed that number so
dramatically we were more careful about
our Southern border we spoke with the
presidents of Central America with the
president of Venezuela and with the
president of Cuba we asked them for help
in curbing the flow of migrants however
that is a short-term solution not a
long-term one Mexico also increased
patrols at the border flying some
migrants to the southern part of Mexico
and deporting others but by February the
number of migrants Crossing into the US
began to rise again and the border
patrol expects a sharp increase in that
number this spring everybody thinks you
have the power in this moment to slow
down migration do you plan
to we do and want to continue doing it
but we do want for the root causes to be
attended to for them to be seriously
looked
at with the ear of the White House
president Lopez oidor proposed his fix
that the United States commit 20 billion
doar a year to poor countries in Latin
America and the Caribbean lift sanctions
on ven vuela end the Cuban embargo and
legalize millions of law-abiding
Mexicans living in the US if they don't
do the things that you've said need to
be done then what the flow of
migrants continue you your critics have
said what you're doing or what you're
asking for to help secure the border is
diplomatic black mail what do you say
I'm speaking frankly we have to say
things as they are
and I always say what I feel I always
say what I think if they don't do those
things will you continue to help to
secure the
Border yes
because our relationship is very
important it is
fundamental for much of the last six
years president Lopez orador has held a
televised 7: a.m. press conference 5
days a week during our visit he was
dissecting fake news
The Briefing lasted more than 2 hours is
it a Pulpit or is it a press
conference it is a circular dialogue
even though my opponents say that I'm on
a
Pulpit time is the only luxury amlo
seems comfortable spending when he took
office he sold the presidential Jet and
His predecessor's Fleet of bulletproof
cars in favor of his
Volkswagen he uses his daily briefings
to rail against the elite and enemies
real and perceived at times it can feel
like a political Tel
Noll at a briefing last month the
president stunned the audience when he
read the cell phone number of a New York
Times Reporter who was pursuing what he
viewed as a critical story of him it
looks like you were threatening that
reporter I didn't do it with the
intention of harming her she like
yourself our public figures and I am as
well but you know this is a dangerous
place for reporters and you know that
threats often come in texts and phones
when you put her phone number up behind
you you realize what you were doing no
no no no what did you think you were
doing it's a form of responding to a
Lial imagine what it means for this
reporter to write that the president of
Mexico has connections with drug
traffickers and without having any
proof that's a vile slander so then why
not just say it's not true because Lial
when it doesn't stain it smears Lopez
oor's bare knuckle brawls with the Press
are in sharp contrast to the softer
approach he's taken with drug
cartels he dissolved the federal police
and created a National Guard to take
over public security and he invested
Millions to create jobs for young people
to escape the grip of the cartels
according to the Mexican Government
homicides have dropped almost 20% since
he took office the president calls his
approach hugs not bullets how is that
working out for
Mexico very well there's still 30,000
homicides in Mexico and very few of
those are
prosecuted so there's an idea that
there's still lawlessness in Mexico is
that fair of course we prosecute them
there's no impunity in Mexico they all
get prosecuted it's a small percent more
than before according to Mexico Evalia
Mexican Think Tank about 5% of the
country's homicides are prosecuted and a
study last year reported cartels have
expanded their reach employing an
estimated
175,000 people to extort businesses and
traffic migrants and drugs into the US
can you reach the cartel and say knock
it off no no no no what you have to do
with the criminals is apply the law but
I'm not going to establish contact
communication with a Criminal president
of Mexico are you saying you don't have
to reach out to them or communicate with
them no no no no because you cannot
negotiate with criminals the head of the
DEA says cartels are mass-- producing
Fentanyl and the US state department has
said that most of it is coming out of
Mexico are they wrong see yes oh no or
rather they don't have all the
information because fentel is also
produced in the United States the state
department says most of it's coming from
Mexico fentel is produced in the United
States in Canada and in Mexico and the
chemical precursors come from
Asia you know why we don't have the drug
consumption that you have in the United
States because we have Customs
traditions and we don't have the problem
of the disintegration of the family
there is drug consumption in Mexico but
very little so why the violence then in
Mexico
because drug trafficking exists but not
the consumption Lopez oor says threats
by us lawmakers to shut down the border
to curb drug trafficking is little more
than saber rattling that's because last
year Mexico became America's top trading
partner they could say we are going to
close the border but we mutually need
each other what would happen to the US
if they closed the Border you would not
be able to buy inexpensive cars if the
border is closed that is you would have
to pay $ 10,000 $15,000 more for a
car in there are factories in Mexico and
there are factories in the United States
that are fundamental for all the
consumers in the United States and all
the consumers in
Mexico last year the Mexican economy
grew 3% and unemployment hit a record
low but critics say Mexico's economic
growth is because of the president
rather in spite of him Lopez oidor
directed billions to Signature Mega
projects like an oil refinery in his
home
state and a railroad through the Yucatan
jungle costing an estimated 28 billion
what about infrastructure aren't there
more dire concerns like you know clean
water roads reliable energy when you're
trying to attract business to
Mexico we're doing
both fix the roads and building this
train it will link all the ancient Mayan
cities and is going to allow Mexicans
and tourists to enjoy a paradise region
that is the southeast of
Mexico Lopez orador has spent
unapologetically on social programs
doubling the minimum wage increasing
pensions and scholarships his approval
rating has remained High upwards of 60%
for most of his presidency your critics
say
that you're popular because you give
people money what do you
say I would say they're partly
right our formula is simple it is not to
allow corruption not to make for an
ostentatious government for luxuries and
everything we
save we allocate to the people do you
think that you've been able to get rid
of the corruption in Mexico yes
completely yes basically because
corruption in Mexico started from the
top down but Transparency International
reports no improvement in the corruption
problems that have plagued Mexico for
decades huge crowds gathered last month
accusing the president of trying to
eliminate the country's Democratic
checks and balances in June Mexico will
have one of the largest elections in its
history in addition to the presidency
20,000 local positions are up for grabs
the cartels have funded and prayed on
local candidates last month two mayoral
hope Bulls were killed within hours of
each other raising fears of a bloody
election I can travel throughout the
entire country without a problem there
is no region that I cannot go and visit
the number of government officials and
candidates murdered Rose from 94 in 2018
to 355 last year you don't view that as
a threat to you obviously but do you
view it as a threat to democracy
no there are some specific
instances there is no State repression
but if a candidate's afraid to run
because they may be assassinated isn't
that a threat to
democracy generally they all participate
there are many candidates from all the
parties his handpicked successor Claudia
Shin bomb has a commanding lead in the
polls and could become Mexico's first
female president Lopez oor told us when
he leaves office he will retire from
politics and write books but what he
does next at the border or doesn't do
could shape the next chapter of the
United
States
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)
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