In his usual morning press conference, the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, announced that due to previous commitments in his country, he had to give up his participation in an event to which he had been invited. last Tuesday. by his Canadian counterpart, Justine Trudeau, in which he seeks to raise aid for refugees who are victims of the Russian occupation of Ukraine.

Confirmation of AMLO’s non-participation, as López Obrador is popularly known, comes hours after Trudeau himself informed his supporters on social media that, by phone, he had invited the Mexican to participate in the meeting. entitled “Stand up for Ukraine”. , which is organized by the President of Canada, in association with the President of the European Commission, Ursula van der Leyen.

Although he said he would not attend the event, which is virtual, and that it will take place on April 9, the President of Mexico clarified that instead will appoint as representative the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of his country, the civil servant Marcelo Ebrad.

In the same vein, and at the request of Trudeau himself, López Obrador will leave a recorded message in support of the event, in which he should present his position in the face of the crisis in Europe due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. .

López Obrador said that in his message he would condemn the invasion and the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, warning that as a Mexican he knows the effects of an invasion, saying his country has “suffered invasions”.

The invitation raised by Trudeau was communicated to AMLO last Tuesday, April 5, in the context of a telephone meeting held between the two leaders, which focused on bilateral relations between Mexico and Canada, in which the question of the energy sector was even addressed. and the impact that the crisis derived from the occupation of Ukraine has had on the world, according to international media.

After the meeting, Trudeau said via his social media that after the meeting with López Obrador, they had come to the conclusion that “share your concern about the humanitarian impact of the war in Ukraine“, noting that he extended the invitation to the aforementioned solidarity and fundraising event.

internal affairs

As for the internal reasons why AMLO declined Trudeau’s invitation, he himself explained to the media of his country that the event that prevents him from participating in the charity event is a commitment previously acquired with the Navy of his country, which consists of a trip to the so-called Marías Islands, as part of an ecotourism project for which a special boat has been built and in which López will take part in his maiden voyage, even inviting journalists to accompany him.

In this sense, AMLO warned the body of journalists who accompany him and cover issues related to his government that they are invited to participate in the event and that they have arranged a significant number of cabins to spend one or two rest nights on said islands.

As part of his speech, López Obrador also referred to the request of a sector of politicians in his country who submitted a request to the Secretary of State of the United States, Anthony Blinken, condemning that a group of lawmakers will form a group of “friendship with Russia.”

In this sense, AMLO affirmed that if the visas of these parliamentarians are withdrawn, he will send a diplomatic note to the United States, stressing that it is not right for this to happen only because they have expressed their point of seen.

“We cannot go back to the Cold War, to the era of persecution, exclusion and authoritarianism,” López said.

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