President López Obrador, despite his non-diplomatic behavior, is showing that relations with Spain are unbreakable, on the rise and impossible to pause.
For three years he has launched dozens of criticisms in his attempt to undermine the bilateral relationship, but in his world of morning rhetoric (of which Luis Estrada has recorded more than 70,000 inaccuracies, most of them lies): a parallel world that by fortune hardly ever cuts through reality.
The Spanish ambassador Juan López-Dóriga has shown excessive spirit and diplomatic skill; AMLO’s campaign has found a target on his back, but his work has served for Madrid to weigh its responses intelligently and without falling into provocations.
Yesterday, during an event organized by the EFE Agency in Mexico City, in which its president Gabriela Cañas was present, the ambassador commented: “The Government (of President Pedro Sánchez) will always support our companies.”
The ambassador made a quick x-ray of the commercial relationship: “There are 7,000 Spanish companies working in Mexico; we are the second investor in Mexico after the United States (…) The relationship flows in both directions. There are 500 Mexican companies working in Spain; Mexico is the main investor in Spain after the European Union and the US (…) Forty flights a week, not counting Cancun”, reflect the connection between Spain and Mexico.
The relationship with Spain is going, despite AMLO’s rhetoric with a view to electricity reform. It is likely that after the vote his rhetoric will be less aggressive, Luis Estrada tells me during the event. I wish so, but I doubt it.
Antonio Basagoiti, president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, also participated as a speaker at the EFE event with businessmen.
“Spain’s investment in Mexico is committed to Mexico; the relationship is beneficial for both parties,” she mentioned. Basagoiti also provided figures: “Spain offers a million direct and indirect jobs in Mexico; they have invested almost 80,000 million dollars since 1999”.
And yet, AMLO plays with fire without caring about the damage it could cause.
The EFE agency, directed in Mexico by Emilio C. Sánchez, is also betting on Mexico as one of the two Latin American countries where it will make strategic changes in content production.
Gabriela Cañas, president of EFE, put the emphasis of her speech on the international media environment: fake news.
The truth has lost prestige. The lie clouds the reason that does not allow itself to be accompanied by knowledge.
Thanks to AMLO for showing us that not even he can fissure the relationship with Spain.
@faustopretelin
Consultant, academic, editor
Globali… what?
He was a research professor in the Department of International Studies at ITAM, published the book Referendum Twitter and was an editor and collaborator in various newspapers such as 24 Horas, El Universal, Milenio. He has published in magazines such as Foreign Affairs, Le Monde Diplomatique, Life & Style, Chilango and Revuelta. He is currently an editor and columnist at El Economista.