Mexico: About Sunday Night…

Amid persistent chants of “presidente” from his supporters, Andrés Manuel López Obrador took the stage Sunday night to give his acceptance speech and make history as the country’s first president who was not part of the country’s two major political parties. Amid persistent chants of “presidente” from his supporters, Andrés Manuel López Obrador took the…

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Mexico: Ready to launch, AMLO minus…

It’s been over a month since President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador swept the election to become Mexico’s next leader. With 53 percent of the votes, López Obrador won every Mexican state except Guanajuato, and received a higher percentage of the overall vote than any of the past four presidents. The electoral mandate wasn’t only at the federal…

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Oh, Canada!

On Monday—just over one year since Mexico, Canada, and the United States officially began the NAFTA renegotiations—President Donald Trump announced the “The United States – Mexico Trade Agreement.” During an impromptu press conference in the Oval Office, Mexican and U.S. officials declared that they had finally moved beyond the thorniest issues including auto content and…

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USMCA, just don’t call it NAFTA.

It’s been thirteen months, nine official rounds of negotiations, countless side meetings, and a brief period where Canada’s participation appeared precarious, but this past Sunday night, the U.S., Mexican, and Canadian negotiators finally announced a new regional trade agreement. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) builds on the old NAFTA and pulls in much of the modernization that had been…

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AMLO, now it’s El Presidente

Over the past few weeks, I’ve met with investors, corporate directors, and foreign-policy focused groups who are all acutely interested in Mexico’s ongoing political transition. Regardless of the sector, everyone has questions on what to expect from the next Mexican administration. President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador will assume office on December 1st with overwhelming majorities in both houses of…

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Mexico and the world: “Uncertainty, the new norm.”

It’s hard to believe that there are less than two weeks to go before the end of the year and the holiday season is now upon us. Over the past 12 months, I’ve been privileged to work with talented colleagues at White & Case, who have earned a host of recognitions and awards. I hope each…

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USMCA, The path to passage

The following piece first appeared in BRINK, a publication focused on presenting perspectives from experts on risk and resilience around the world. You can find it here, or continue reading. USMCA, The path to passage. North America’s countries can expect continued uncertainty. On November 30, President Trump joined then-Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Canadian Prime…

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Shutdown averted, USMCA and Energy Reform still big question marks.

Yesterday, President Trump appeared to back away from his threat to close the U.S.-Mexico border. The change of tone was a relief, especially for the North American business and border communities that would be paralyzed from the halted cross-border trade and movement.

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A Tariff, Gone Too Far…

Later today, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, United States Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet regarding the Trump administration’s announcement that they will apply 5 percent tariffs on all goods coming from Mexico (set to start on June 10), if Mexico does not stop migrants from reaching the United States. It’s…

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A sweltering summer, and market fall.

This past Monday, the Trump administration delayed the full onset of another round of tariffs against consumer goods from China through December. It was welcome news, but not enough to reverse current market trends or to keep China from promising countermeasures. By all indicators, the global economy is steadily cooling down and the United States and other major economies…

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Mi Opinión

USMCA: Shaping the Region’s Trade Realities

The following piece first appeared in BRINK, a publication focused on presenting perspectives from experts on risk and resilience around the world. You can find it here, or for the piece as submitted and with hyperlinks, continue reading. In August 2017, trade negotiators from the United States, Mexico, and Canada met for the first time in Mexico City to begin hashing…

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USMCA: A Holiday Season to Remember

December 31, 2019 will mark the end of another year and decade. Across the United States, Latin America, and the world, the 2010s were challenging times, with booms and busts, elections and impeachments, and unceasing volatility. It was the decade of left and right populism, mass migration, large-scale corruption (and anti-corruption efforts), persistent inequality, and continuously weak…

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Shifting sands, and so little time.

Over the past few weeks, the U.S. Congress has been focused on impeachment proceedings. With so much activity and the situation very much in flux I recommend Axios for up to date coverage and Five Thirty Eight for polling on the ongoing constitutional process.  This week, Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown, as congressional leaders have yet to reach a…

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The U.S., Mexico and migration: Time for cooperation, not coercion.

The following opinion editorial was published recently in the San Antonio Express-New and the Austin American-Statesman: In the piece I discuss the limits of economic ‘sticks’  to forge immigration policy and the now critical need for bilateral and regional cooperation, not coercion in our relationship with Mexico. It’s time to address U.S. immigration and asylum systems,…

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