US President Barack Obama will host Mexican president-elect Enrique Pena Nieto at the White House on November 27, just days before the new leader takes office in Mexico City, US officials said Monday.
Obama “looks forward to meeting president-elect Pena Nieto and hearing about his vision for leading Mexico over the next six years,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement.
The two men plan to discuss a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues, likely to focus on the drug war raging along their shared border of more than 1,800 miles (3,000 kilometers), the statement said.
“The United States remains committed to work in partnership with Mexico to increase economic competitiveness in both countries, promote regional development, advance bilateral efforts to develop a secure and efficient 21st Century Border, and address our common security challenges,” it added.
Pena Nieto, who takes power on December 1, succeeds Felipe Calderon, who deployed tens of thousands of troops in 2006 to crack down on drug cartels plaguing the country.
But violence has soared since then, in a gang turf war that has left more than 60,000 people dead.
Pena Nieto has vowed to shift the focus on reducing the wave of murders, kidnappings and extortion tormenting Mexicans.
The federal police have been under the command of the public safety ministry, but the force has faced a series of embarrassing incidents, including the shooting in August of two US government employees by a group of officers.
The youthful 46-year-old’s victory in July elections marks the return to power of the former ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) after a 12-year absence.
Mexico, Canada and The United States are part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
The United States is providing equipment and law enforcement training to Mexico under the $1.6 billion Merida Initiative, a program aimed at combating drug trafficking.
Obama to host new Mexico leader on Nov 27
