Trump Is Top Priority For New Mexican Secretary Of Foreign Affairs

By Rodrigo Cervantes
January 05, 2017
(Photo courtesy of the World Economic Forum)
Luis Videgaray is the new Mexican secretary of foreign affairs.

MEXICO CITY.- Mexico is already preparing to work with the new U.S. administration with a significant, and controversial, change in the Mexican president’s cabinet.

Last Wednesday, Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto announced a new secretary of foreign affairs: Luis Videgaray.

Videgaray is new in the position, but not in this administration. He has been one of the main allies and advisors of Peña Nieto for years. Videgaray was the head of Peña Nieto's campaign and a strong promoter of the economic reforms in Mexico.

Videgaray was also the secretary of finance and public credit for Peña Nieto’s administration, until his unexpected and unclear resignation last year.

Back then, in September, Videgaray was held responsible by media outlets and politicians in Mexico for the visit of the then-Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Videgaray was accused of planning and organizing the meeting of Trump with president Peña Nieto in Mexico, just a few days before Trump gave a speech in Phoenix.

But this Wednesday, as Videgaray was presented by Peña Nieto as the new secretary of foreign affairs, he was also commanded to make one of his top priorities to build a continuous dialogue with the Trump administration.

President Peña Nieto instructed Videgaray to build a constructive relationship with the U.S., focusing on security, migration, trade and investment.

Peña Nieto also requested his new foreign affairs secretary to protect Mexicans abroad, and to keep a high level dialogue with the United States on economic issues.