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Washington, D.C.- As Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits Mexico today, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) urged him to “raise several key issues during [his] meetings with Mexican officials, including modernizing NAFTA, defending human rights, countering drugs and organized crime, and supporting the Venezuelan people.”
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Secretary Pompeo:
The United States and Mexico are deeply connected not just through geography, but also through cultural and family ties, and the freedoms that we share as democratic nations. As you prepare for your first visit to Mexico as Secretary next week, I urge you to raise several key issues during your meetings with Mexican officials, including modernizing NAFTA, defending human rights, countering drugs and organized crime, and supporting the Venezuelan people.
NAFTA is extremely important to the economy in my home state of Florida. Florida supports Latin America’s emergence as a tech hub and benefits from trade-based economic growth. Modernizing NAFTA will benefit all partners involved and strengthen economic development throughout the Western Hemisphere. However, to truly be mutually beneficial, free trade must also be fair trade. Any modernized NAFTA agreement must reflect a commitment by the Mexican government to reduce subsidies and dumping of seasonal and perishable produce, and must provide a mechanism for impacted U.S. producers to redress harm from imports that violate that commitment.
In addition to trade, it is of upmost importance to highlight human rights concerns, including bringing closure to the families of the 43 missing students from the city of Iguala in the state of Guerrero. After four years, the unresolved tragedy represents the lack of accountability for human rights in Mexico. The families of the victims deserve closure and justice and it is my hope that you will raise this case during your visit. Moreover, organizations like Reporters Without Borders (RWB) and Freedom House have noted the recent decline of press freedom in Mexico and we urge you to raise the importance of protecting journalists with your counterparts.
I also encourage you to discuss ways that our two countries collaborate on the most pressing issues in the Western Hemisphere. The United States and Mexico have strong counternarcotics cooperation and only together can we stop the flow of drugs from crossing our border—including, opioids like fentanyl—as well as combating drug traffickers and the violence they perpetrate in Central America, Mexico, and here at home.
Lastly, I urge you to raise the manmade disaster that the Maduro regime has created in Venezuela. The economic and humanitarian crisis faced by the Venezuelan people is straining not just Venezuela’s resources, but also those of its neighbors. In order to support the Venezuelan people and maintain stability and security for the Hemisphere, it is critical that our nations work closely together to pressure the Maduro regime to restore Venezuela to its constitutional order and return to the path of democracy.
I look forward to discussing it with you upon your return.
Sincerely,
Washington, DC– Mientras el Secretario de Estado Mike Pompeo visita México hoy, el Senador estadounidense Marco Rubio (R-FL) lo instó a “plantear varios asuntos claves durante [sus] reuniones con funcionarios mexicanos, incluyendo la modernización del TLCAN, la defensa de los derechos humanos, la lucha contra las drogas y crimen organizado, y el apoyo al pueblo venezolano “.
El texto completo de la carta está a continuación:
Estimado Secretario Pompeo:
Los Estados Unidos y México están profundamente conectados no solo a través de la geografía, sino también a través de los lazos culturales y familiares, y las libertades que compartimos como naciones democráticas. Mientras se prepara para su primera visita a México como Secretario la próxima semana, le insto a plantear varios temas claves durante sus reuniones con funcionarios mexicanos, incluida la modernización del TLCAN, la defensa de los derechos humanos, la lucha contra las drogas y el crimen organizado y el apoyo al pueblo venezolano.
El TLCAN es extremadamente importante para la economía en mi estado natal de la Florida. La Florida apoya el surgimiento de América Latina como un centro tecnológico y se beneficia del crecimiento económico através del comercio. La modernización del TLCAN beneficiará a todos los socios involucrados y fortalecerá el desarrollo económico en todo el Hemisferio Occidental. Sin embargo, para ser mutuamente beneficioso, el libre comercio también debe ser un comercio justo. Cualquier acuerdo modernizado del TLCAN debe reflejar el compromiso del gobierno mexicano de reducir los subsidios y el dumping de los productos temporales y perecederos, y debe proporcionar un mecanismo correctivo para los productores de los Estados Unidos impactados por el daño de las importaciones que violan ese compromiso.
Además del comercio, es de suma importancia resaltar las preocupaciones sobre los derechos humanos, incluido el caso de las familias de los 43 estudiantes desaparecidos en la ciudad de Iguala en el estado de Guerrero. Después de cuatro años, la tragedia no termina y representa la falta de rendición de cuentas por los derechos humanos en México. Las familias de las víctimas merecen justicia, y espero que planteen este caso durante su visita. Además, organizaciones como Reporteros sin Fronteras (RWB) y Freedom House han notado el reciente declive de la libertad de prensa en México y le instamos a que eleve la importancia de proteger a los periodistas con sus contrapartes.
También lo insto a que hable sobre como nuestros dos países colaboran en los temas más apremiantes en el Hemisferio Occidental. Los Estados Unidos y México tienen una fuerte cooperación antinarcótica y solo juntos podemos detener el flujo de drogas que cruzan nuestra frontera -incluidos los opioides como el fentanilo- así como combatir a los narcotraficantes y la violencia que perpetran Centroamérica, México, y los Estados Unidos.
Por último, le insto a que plantee el desastre creado por el hombre a manos del régimen de Maduro en Venezuela. La crisis económica y humanitaria que enfrenta el pueblo venezolano está poniendo a prueba no solo los recursos de Venezuela, sino también los de sus vecinos. Para apoyar al pueblo venezolano y mantener la estabilidad y la seguridad en el Hemisferio, es fundamental que nuestras naciones trabajen en estrecha colaboración para presionar al régimen de Maduro a que Venezuela restaure su orden constitucional y que vuelva al camino de la democracia.
Espero con interés hablar con usted a su regreso.
Sinceramente,