Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Alicia Bárcena, will meet with her U.S. counterpart, Antony Blinken, in Washington on Wednesday, in her first official visit as Foreign Minister.
She is also scheduled to meet with the head of Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, which adds that the official will also hold talks with the White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, to discuss bilateral agenda items such as migration, arms trafficking, and fentanyl.
The Foreign Minister will follow up on the legal process that the U.S. Department of Justice under the Biden administration is pursuing against the government of Texas, led by Republican Greg Abbott, who ordered the installation of barbed-wire buoys in the Rio Grande riverbed, and she will request their removal as soon as possible.
According to the statement, in her meetings with Blinken, Mayorkas, and Sullivan, Alicia Bárcena will emphasize the collaboration of the cooperation agencies for development by Mexico and the United States in promoting greater economic dynamism in Central America.
Moreover, they will discuss progress in combating arms trafficking and fentanyl, and explore the next steps within the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.
A meeting with representatives of Hispanic organizations and advocates for the rights of Mexicans is scheduled to address the concerning rise in local legislative proposals that undermine the rights of the migrant community.
She will also attend a meeting with experts from various think tanks on mobility and migration, with the aim of hearing their perspectives on trends and main concerns in the field.
The work program will conclude with an initial meeting with leaders of the Mexican community residing in Washington, Maryland, and Virginia region.
The purpose is to discuss one of Mexico’s foreign policy priorities, consular assistance, and review key issues for our community residing abroad.
