German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Mexico City today to begin an expected short but symbolic official visit, as both countries are expected to champion democracy and cooperation, and to strengthen trade and investment ties.
At around 4.45 pm local time, the plane in which the chancellor was traveling landed at the Mexico City International Airport and was received in the presidential hangar by Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray.
The official visit began with a welcoming ceremony that began on time, at 17.30 local time (22.30 GMT) in the National Palace headed by President Enrique Peña Nieto, where both leaders introduced their committees.
The visit will be fleeting, less than 24 hours, but has generated great expectation because Merkel can use this meeting to strengthen the position of Germany in Latin America and against the President of the United States, Donald Trump, with whom he maintains a cold relationship and a Diametrically opposed worldview.
In addition, the meeting comes a short month after the G20 summit in Hamburg, so Merkel could be strengthening alliances in order to isolate a Trump at very low international times after the decision to withdraw United States of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
According to Mexican Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Carlos de Icaza, the meeting will not refer to third countries, but will allow both nations to send a message to the world in support of democratic values and international cooperation.
Merkel arrived in Mexico on Friday from Argentina as part of a work tour under the German G20 presidency.
In the National Palace and after the official reception, a working meeting will be held behind closed doors with President Peña Nieto and members of his cabinet as Videgaray; The secretary of the Treasury, Jose Antonio Meade, and the Economy, Ildefonso Guajardo, said Thursday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The day of Friday will end with an official dinner on the occasion of the closing of the Dual Year between the two countries and in honor of the chancellor.
On Saturday, Merkel will meet privately with members of civil society and then attend the Monument of Revolution to an activity called PopUp Tour, framed within the Dual Year.
In addition, Merkel and Peña Nieto will head a business event at the Interactive Museum of Economics with the participation of representatives of German companies established in Mexico, which number about 1,900 in the country, and Mexican firms.
Germany is Mexico’s top trading partner among the European Union countries and is the fifth largest in the world, with bilateral trade of $ 17.8 billion in 2016.
Germany’s cumulative flow of foreign direct investment in Mexico from 1999 to March 2017 was $ 14.708 billion, making it the sixth largest investor in the world and the fourth largest in the European Union. EFE
