Meeting with Harris<\/h2>\n
Harris spoke Tuesday with\u00a0L\u00f3pez Obrador on issues the two leaders began discussing\u00a0in April.\u00a0The meeting is a chance to\u00a0reaffirm the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and address policy changes affecting migration\u00a0from Northern Triangle countries\u00a0El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Learn more: <\/strong>Vice President Kamala Harris to lead White House efforts to stem migration at the border<\/span><\/p>\n Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is inoculated with the first dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine against COVID-19 after his daily news conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on April 20. (Photo: PEDRO PARDO, AFP via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n The trip represents new outreach efforts by the Biden administration\u00a0to Central America after funding for the region was cut during former President Donald Trump’s term in office.<\/p>\n At the meeting with the Mexican president, Harris announced the U.S. will invest an additional\u00a0$130 million in technical assistance and cooperation over the next three years to Mexico while it implements labor legislation to support workers, improve working conditions, and address child and forced labor. An additional plan\u00a0to create $250 million in new investment and sales in southern Mexico\u00a0by bolstering local agriculture and eco-tourism was also announced.<\/p>\n Harris and\u00a0L\u00f3pez Obrador also committed to partnering in exchanging information and initiating measures to stop human trafficking and human smuggling operations, expand forensic capacity and work together to help solve over 82,000 cases of missing persons and disappearances in Mexico.<\/p>\n Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (R) listens to US President Joe Biden delivering his inaugural speech during the Earth Day Summit, at the National Palace in Mexico City, on April 22, 2021. (Photo: PEDRO PARDO, AFP via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n As a presidential candidate, he\u00a0supported the North American Free Trade Agreement and promised a cordial relationship with the U.S.\u00a0But AMLO\u00a0did not commit to stopping Central American migrants entering the U.S. border.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe won\u2019t do the dirty work of any foreign government,\u201d\u00a0he said of the matter.<\/p>\n The Mexican president, who formed an unlikely friendship with Trump,\u00a0bragged about wanting to sell the presidential airplane to the former president back in 2018.<\/p>\n When he visited Washington last summer,\u00a0L\u00f3pez Obrador praised Trump for “respecting” Mexico but did not meet\u00a0with senior Democrats or Biden, who was then a presidential candidate.\u00a0<\/p>\n And when Biden won the 2020 presidential election, L\u00f3pez Obrador delayed in congratulating the new U.S. president, raising concerns about U.S.-Mexico relations.\u00a0<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2021\/04\/22\/USAT\/712c1f97-6e72-426d-9758-5bb25c0c6163-GettyImages-1232418580.jpg?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp\")
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2021\/05\/06\/USAT\/1bdfc799-42c8-46b6-9dc1-2195fd3015f6-AFP_AFP_98J3DR.jpg?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp\")
<\/p>\nAMLO’s relationship with the U.S.<\/h2>\n