Mexico Ratifies Policy on Migration, U.S. and Venezuela

Mexico''s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador ratified Tuesday his government''s policy on migration, Venezuela and its relations with the United States and assured that it would not change.

He reiterated his administration is respectful of that of the United States, 'with which we are going to maintain the same policy of cooperation for development, but in the case of migration we will continue firmly to seek it to be optional, that it is not compulsory, that it is occasional, that it is not forced by circumstances'.

We have raised this issue on numerous occasions and, consequently, we are now offering job offers, we are giving work visas to Central Americans, at the same time they are given humanitarian protection, and in no way are we going to meddle in the internal politics of the United States', he said.

He explained that in that country the electoral process has already begun, the campaign for re-election and that as a citizen and politician he believes the duration of that government, and not only in the United States, should be reviewed.

He considered that a four-year period, even if a re-election is allowed, is not the best thing because if they win the first one, as re-election soon comes, there is not enough stability and, for that reason, politics, administration and public affairs do not stop mixing with the electoral one.

But we are not going to answer any question based on the domestic or electoral policy of the United States or any other country, he ratified.

Regarding Venezuela, he reiterated his government's position had already been clarified: no intervention and self-determination. We are not going to move from there, he said.

We, he insisted, cannot ignore or recognize a government of another country. Yes, we must seek respect for human rights, but always by means of a peaceful solution, without violence.

We must balance between non-intervention, self-determination, the peaceful solution and human rights. It is the mixture of all these criteria that leads us to act as we are doing, he said.