AMLO Speaks on Immigration to the United States

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) was interviewed on 60 Minutes on March 24, 2024 (available to view on YouTube) regarding President Biden’s request for Mexico to collaborate on border enforcement.

With the U.S. Presidential elections just around the corner on November 5 th of this year, the immigration crisis on the U.S. Southern border and Mexico’s approach to it is a major focus of attention by all sides. For example, former President Trump has promised that in his first 100 days in office he will deport 11 million undocumented if he is elected.

In the March 24th interview AMLO proposed a set of measures to address the migrant crisis listed below.

1. Lifting Sanctions and Embargoes against Venezuela and Cuba.
2. López Obrador called on the U.S. to approve a plan that would deploy $20 billion to Latin American and Caribbean countries. This financial aid aims to address the root causes of migration by supporting economic development and stability in the region.
3. Rights for Hispanics in the U.S.: AMLO proposed granting at least 10 million Hispanics living in the U.S. the right to remain and work legally. This measure aims to recognize the contributions of Hispanic communities and provide them with legal security.

In this article, I will address the first of the three proposals by AMLO. Subsequent articles will address the rest.

Lifting Sanctions and Embargoes against Venezuela and Cuba.

In the case of Venezuela: imposition of U.S. sanctions has led to a major economic contraction, with GDP per capita falling 72%, resulting in nearly 25% of the population leaving the country.

A graph of U.S. sanctions tells much of the story:

The U.S. sanctions have caused the Venezuelan state to lose between $17 billion and $31 billion in revenue, given that oil was its main export. Consider that the next time you gas up your car.

In the case of Cuba: the U.S. embargo has been in place over 60 years, leading to shortages of medical supplies, food, and other necessities in Cuba. Trade and tourism are affected by the banning of cruise ships, cultural exchanges, and educational delegations. Cubans who relied on assistance from abroad (remesas) no longer receive this as Western Union branches are closed. Internet access is affected, as are platforms like Zoom, Skype and others limiting communication with the outside.

Although Former President Obama began to liberalize interchange, this was promptly reversed by Trump. Biden has maintained the embargo and sanctions of Trump.

Although the Cuban medical and educational systems are the envy of most of Latin America, it is losing many of its citizens due to lack of opportunities for them to contribute their talents and even food insecurity due to the economic blockade.

The UN estimates the embargo has cost Cuba over $130 billion in damages.

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