As one might imagine, the U.S. election campaign has attracted tremendous attention in Mexico, where people are concerned about migration issues and other border-related topics like narco-trafficking, human smuggling and NAFTA-based bilateral trade of about $300 billion per year.
This editorial from Mexico’s El Universal explains that with all of the deep and intricate ties between the two countries, Mexico will have lots of business to conduct – whoever manages to win on Nov. 4.
“Not only because of our 1,950-mile border, shared oil deposits, the common threats to our security, migration and international trade worth $300 billion, but because of the slow and relentless demographic integration of the two countries. Twelve million Mexicans live north of the Rio Grande, half of them undocumented, and an estimated 20 percent of Mexican families have at least one relative in the American Union. … Here, on the other hand, live one million Americans, one fifth of all those that live outside of their homeland.”
Then seeming to take a dig at Obama – ironically by taking a shot at Sarah Palin:
“Republican McCain, a hero of war, was here during his campaign; and Obama has visited us from the other side of the border, the way Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, has seen Canada, and across the Bering Strait, the outline of the Russian coast.”
“It doesn’t matter who is considered the winner of last night’s debate. Both would serve the supreme interests of the United States. … It’s important that our government agencies closely follow the political and economic activity of a country which, whether we like it or not, has such an impact on our own.”
EDITORIAL
Translated By Douglas Myles Rasmussen
October 17, 2008
Mexico – El Universal – Original Article (Spanish)
Thursday’s final debate between the candidates for the presidency of the United States, Barack Obama and John McCain, is a warning to us that beyond the volatility of the stock market, currency exchange rates and organized crime, we have a wide front of issues to attend to in relations with our neighbor to the north.
Not only because of our 1,950-mile border, shared oil deposits, the common threats to our security, migration and international trade worth $300 billion, but because of the slow and relentless demographic integration of the two countries.
Twelve million Mexicans live north of the Rio Grande, half of them undocumented, and an estimated 20 percent of Mexican families have at least one relative in the American Union.
Here, on the other hand, live one million Americans, one fifth of all those that live outside of their homeland.
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