By Dave Graham
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – North American leaders aim to give new impetus to strengthening economic ties at a meeting this week, even as a major dispute grinds on over Mexico’s energy policies which has distracted from cooperation on other issues like immigration.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will host his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for talks in Mexico City from Monday through Wednesday, the first summit between the three since late 2021.
“A meeting like this is so that we keep moving forward on economic integration,” Lopez Obrador said this week.
Still, Mexico remains mired in an energy dispute with the United States and Canada, who argue their firms have been disadvantaged by Lopez Obrador’s campaign to give control of the market to his cash-strapped state energy companies.
A combative leftist, Lopez Obrador says his policy is a matter of national sovereignty, on the grounds that past governments skewed the energy market to favor private interests.
Washington and Ottawa believe his actions breach the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade deal, and have launched dispute resolution proceedings against Mexico, souring the mood for cooperation over jobs and investment.
Trudeau told Reuters on Friday he would make the case that resolving the energy dispute would help bring more foreign investment to Mexico, and was confident of making progress.
Others argue the time for negotiation is over.
Aindriu Colgan,…
