Mexico President-Elect Claudia Sheinbaum Unlikely To Repeat AMLO's 'Bromance' With Donald Trump, Say Analysts
Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador used to have a very smooth relationship with Donald Trump. However, should Trump win, this would unlikely be replicated with AMLO's successor, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, as she is largely seen to not duplicate her mentor's bromance with Trump.
"I don't think she will have the type of bromance that Lopez Obrador had with Donald Trump," former Mexico Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan told Reuters, noting that should Trump win and defeat Joe Biden, US-Mexico relations could prove to be more difficult.
Donald Trump is fiercely protectionist in his economic policy and this might clash with Sheinbaum's economic policies, especially as a review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is set to happen in 2026.
The Mexican economy is largely dependent on the US, which is the country's largest trading partner. Trump may pressure Mexico and make the country choose between the US and China, especially as the Asian giant has recently increased its investment in several Mexican sectors.
"The interesting thing is how all these issues work together," Christopher Landau, Trump's ambassador to Mexico, told Reuters. "Assuming Trump wins, I think a day one issue is going to be the border and migration. So if Mexico is cooperative on that, that's certainly going to earn a lot of goodwill on the trade side."
However, Sheinbaum is expected to clash with Donald Trump over several issues, with Trump possibly not liking the new Mexican president for personal reasons.
"Claudia Sheinbaum is a scientist, a political leader and she self-identifies as a feminist," Assistant Professor of Latin American History at George Washington University Gema Kloppe-Santamaria told Reuters. "All of these qualifications make her a potential candidate to irritate Trump if he is elected."
Claudia Sheinbaum's Treasury Minister Pledges to Address Mexico's Budget Deficits
Mexico's markets are still recovering from shock and Mexico Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez has pledged to reduce the federal budget deficits in the coming years. This pledge came after the Mexican peso dropped more than 4% on Monday, with the Mexican stock market also plunging by 6%.
Ramirez is currently serving as AMLO's Minister of Treasury but will be staying on in the same position under Shaunbaum, who is AMLO's hand-picked successor. The president-elect has pledged to continue her predecessor's social projects once she is sworn in but will also implement her own takes.
Climate Scientist Claudia Sheinbaum Could Have a Hard Time Shaking Off AMLO's Oil Legacy
Before she became a politician, Claudia Sheinbaum was an accomplished climate scientist. However, her connection with AMLO, who is infamously pro-oil, has soured her with her fellow climate scientists, who are now divided over her win.
As president, AMLO spent billions on Mexico's fossil fuel-dependent state energy giants, oil firm Pemex, and power utility CFE. This received much condemnation from climate scientists and environmentalists. Sheinbaum tried to distance herself from those policies, but many believe that she may continue her mentor's controversial pro-fossil fuel policies despite pledging to work on more green sources.
READ MORE: Mexico Elections Tale of the Tape: Claudia Sheinbaum Vs. Xochitl Galvez
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Who is Claudia Sheinbaum, elected as Mexico's first female president? - CBS Evening News
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