Mexico and the United States seek to strengthen ties through energy cooperation in the midst of controversy over the electricity reform promoted by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The Secretary of Energy of Mexico, Rocío Nahle, and her US counterpart, Jennifer Granholm, met this Thursday and agreed that thanks to mutual respect, “advance is being made in energy cooperation between Mexico and the United States.”
Granholm also met with President López Obrador at the National Palace to explore ways to advance a bilateral clean energy agenda.
“I had a cordial conversation with the Secretary of Energy of the United States, Jennifer Granholm. We discussed matters of interest to our peoples and nations; respect, understanding and the will to cooperate for development prevailed,” the Mexican president said in a message on Twitter.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Economy, Tatiana Clouthier, and the Secretaries of Foreign Relations (SRE), Marcelo Ebrard, and of Finance and Public Credit, Rogelio Ramírez de la O.
Also present were the head of the North American Unit of the Mexican Foreign Ministry, Roberto Velasco; the US ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar; the director of the National Security Council for North America, Isabela Rioja-Scott, and the director-general for International Affairs of the US Secretary of Energy, Andrew Light.
DAY OF MEETINGS
Regarding the meeting between Granholm and Nahle, the Secretary of Energy indicated that the energy policies of each country were discussed, which contribute to the good relationship that exists between the two nations on issues of hydrocarbons, gas, and electricity.
According to the statement, they explained that the integration of North America, with Canada, the United States, and Mexico, strengthens not only these nations but all the countries that make up the American continent.
They also specified that energy is a basic supply and agreed that “both the United States and Mexico must have self-sufficiency and strengthen cooperation ties with sister countries.”
During his two-day visit to Mexico, according to the US Embassy, Granholm will express to Mexican politicians and citizens the commitment of the US Government to investments in clean energy and to increasing diversity in the international energy sector.
In addition, his trip aims to address the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and access to more sustainable and cheaper energy sources that benefit both the United States and Mexico and improve North American competitiveness.
The visit comes as pressure grows from US businessmen and legislators over López Obrador’s reform that seeks to limit private participation in electricity generation to 46% in favor of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), a state company.
The reform would also eliminate autonomous energy regulators, cancel previous contracts and give priority to CFE’s fossil plants over private renewables, for which critics denounce that it violates the Treaty between Mexico, the United States, and Canada (T-MEC). ).
Before the meeting with President López Obrador, Granholm met with Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard and with the United States Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar.
“Mexico has an enviable and amazing set of clean resources that we want to talk about,” Granholm said.
Hours earlier, López Obrador announced in his morning conference that this Friday he would give “good news” on energy in the framework of the visit of the US secretary.
Regarding Granholm, López Obrador said that it was “welcome and well-received. There are many issues to discuss and report on our energy policy. Thank you because you have been respectful of the independent energy policy.”
This Friday, Granholm will participate at 8:30 in the morning local time in a round table on Mexican women in energy, where she will talk with her Mexican counterpart, Rocío Nahle; the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade, Luz María de la Mora, and the Head of Government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum.
Later, he will meet with Mexican senators and deputies in the facilities of the Mexican Senate.