Mexico City, October 8.- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that any agreement with the United States must be based on respect for sovereignty and the Constitution , and stressed that Mexico is free to make its own decisions . When it was agreed to grant asylum to Bolivian President Evo Morales , he noted, we did not ask permission " nor did the United States dare to say anything to us ."
Minutes before the high-level meeting with the United States on security matters - which began with a breakfast at the National Palace led by the Mexican president, with the participation of Secretary of State Antony Blinken - he was asked about the fate of the Mérida Initiative , and whether it would affect the recent visit to our country by the president of Venezuela , Nicolás Maduro , or the asylum granted at the time to Morales .
López Obrador was cautious in his response, but made it clear that there can be no subservient governments .
No agreement can be made without mutual respect.
“ In any agreement with the United States or any government, the first thing is respect for our sovereignty . No agreement can be made if there is no mutual respect, in this case for our Constitution , for our independence , and it is the same case with them, with any government that must defend its independence and sovereignty.
" There can be no subservient governments ; sometimes there are those who do not act with decorum, with dignity, but generally, all governments are respectful of independence and sovereignty.
"In foreign policy , Mexico has a long tradition of respect for the rights of others. It has been our main emblem since the time of President Juárez: 'Between individuals and nations, respect for the rights of others is peace.'"
"So," he said at the morning press conference, "it's a respectful dialogue , it's always been that way, members of the United States government have respected us , President ( Donald ) Trump did , of course President ( Joe ) Biden did, all public servants. There are no problems and we are free and we can invite any government to visit us, just as they invite us to go to other countries and there are no complaints."
