PRESIDENT ANDRÉS MANUEL LÓPEZ OBRADOR: I sincerely appreciate the participation of President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, their wives Jill and Sophie, and those that accompany them and their work teams.

The mere fact that we are meeting as good neighbors, in an atmosphere of respect, to seek together the well-being of our peoples, is in itself a historic event. However, I would like to stress that we agreed to strengthen our economic and trade relations, for which a joint committee will be created for planning and import substitution in North America; to aim to be increasingly self-sufficient; and to make the development, cooperation and the well-being of all the countries on our continent a reality.

The United States, Canada and Mexico will each propose four members to create this group of 12 specialists who, in addition to being knowledgeable about the subject matter, will have our absolute confidence to motivate, persuade and convince business executives, workers and the public servants of the three governments that it is of the utmost importance for us to unite in North America and of then seeking to unite the entire American continent.

Mexico will be represented in this group by Marcelo Ebrard, Secretary of Foreign Affairs; Rogelio Ramírez de la O, Secretary of Finance and Public Credit; Raquel Buenrostro Sánchez, Secretary of Economy; and Alfonso Romo Garza, as an independent business executive.

We also addressed, as a priority matter, the economic and trade integration, as I have already said, of the entire American continent, and the well-being of our peoples and the new relationship of cooperation, leaving hegemonic interventionism behind.

Parenthetically, I would like to express my appreciation to Prime Minister Trudeau and to President Biden for the very supportive manner in which they acted regarding the attempted coup in Brazil. This shows that there is a genuine commitment to democracy. We support President Lula of Brazil.

We have to achieve together the words spoken by President Biden and, from an equal footing, treat each other as good neighbors, economic partners and friends. We would of course help make this dream a reality and we are excited to know that it can be achieved.

Peace is the fruit of justice. Social problems are not solved only with coercive measures; we must always take a humanitarian approach when addressing the scourge of violence and the issue of migration and [provide] opportunities for well-being.

People are good by nature and it is circumstances that sometimes force some to take the path of antisocial behavior. We have seen this in Mexico, and in sister nations, in the countries of Honduras and El Salvador.

For example, in our country, since corruption is not allowed and the budget goes to development and to supporting the poorest, now there are not only jobs, but violence has decreased, there is less migration, frustration has also abated and the flame of hope is still lit. Peace is the fruit of justice.

The case of Central America is exceptional. With very few resources, we are helping community farmers in Honduras and El Salvador to plant their lands, and they have technical advice, a livelihood and a basic income.

And in the towns where we are taking these actions, particularly the Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life) program and the Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro (Youths Building the Future) programs, not only has the number of people who want to emigrate to the United States in search of job opportunities and better living conditions gone down, but for many young people crime is no longer the only way to survive and get ahead.

The issue of migration, like other issues, was dealt with extensively, and important agreements were reached between the three countries that will benefit our peoples, as can be seen, as you will learn, through a joint statement that will be delivered to you immediately.

Lastly, I want to thank Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his extraordinary and fraternal program, which consists of granting temporary work visas to day laborers, workers. This program already benefits 25,000 men and women, 25,000 Mexicans. This is a pathway to follow, that of orderly migration. Prime Minister Trudeau is a great ally of Mexico.

And to President Biden, my sincere gratitude for maintaining a relationship of cooperation, of sincere friendship, of respect for our countrymen who live and work honestly in the United States and who are not harassed or suffer from raids, as happened, unfortunately, in other times.

We have already said it and I repeat it now, you are the first president of the United States in a long time that has not built a single meter of wall, and we thank you for that, even if the conservatives don't like it.

I especially want to make it clear that I have respectfully asked President Biden to insist, and I know that it is not a simple matter, but it is fair and that is why I am mentioning it, in addition to which, I have full confidence in President Biden, I have asked him to insist that the United States Congress regularizes the immigration status of millions of Mexicans who have been living, working, and contributing to the development of the great nation that is the United States, for years.

I have reaffirmed that President Biden is a man with convictions, who has principles and ideals for ensuring—like many others, women, men, in the United States and in the world—that the Statue of Liberty never, ever becomes an empty symbol.

I will end by saying that my teacher, the great poet Carlos Pellicer, said in 1930 that 'the yearning for freedom is the greatest fruit that has taken hold in the human heart. To be just, it is necessary to be free. The sentiments of justice are children of freedom, because never, never, as slaves, can we be just.'

Thank you.

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