Readout of President-elect Joe Biden’s Call with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador

The President-elect spoke this evening with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico. The President-elect thanked President López Obrador for his congratulations and expressed his commitment to build a strong relationship with Mexico on a foundation of respect for the rule of law and advancing shared values. The President-elect emphasized the need to reinvigorate U.S.-Mexico cooperation to ensure safe and orderly migration, contain COVID-19, revitalize the economies of North America, and secure our common border. The two leaders noted a shared desire to address the root causes of migration in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and southern Mexico and to build a future of greater opportunity and security for the region. They discussed working together on a new approach to regional migration that offers alternatives to undertaking the dangerous journey to the United States. 

The President-elect reiterated that he stands by the commitments he made on the campaign trail and noted that it would take time and resources to implement those commitments effectively. He pledged to work closely with Mexico and other regional partners — including civil society, the private sector, international organizations, and governments — during the early months of his administration to build the regional and border infrastructure and capacity needed to facilitate a new orderly and humane approach to migration that will respect international norms regarding the treatment of asylum claims. The two leaders agreed that they and their teams would stay in touch.