During the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the consummation of Mexico’s Independence, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador affirmed that “it is time for forgiveness and mutual respect.”
The president stressed that Mexico has been and will continue to be “synonymous with friendship for all the peoples of the world,” and highlighted the current relations with the Catholic Church, as well as with the governments of Russia, China and France, with which the country has had ruptures throughout history.
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“We declare ourselves supporters of peace, sovereignty and love, although we do not forget that it is time for forgiveness and mutual respect, now, for example, we maintain good relations with the Catholic Church thanks, in a lot, to the reason that Pope Francis is a defender of the poor,” he said.
He said there is no reason to emphasize the historical differences with France, as it has been one of the nations that has most respected the Mexican people.
“How to claim in these times from the Russians the assassination of the great writer and politician Leon Trotsky who was in asylum in our country, if even in the Cold War we maintained good relations. And today with elegance and kindness they send us congratulations from space,” he said.
He indicated that relations with Russia are so good that even President Vladimir Putin offered to send Russian doctors to help him in his recovery when he contracted COVID.
“Thus, in this same spirit, our relations with China, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Bangladesh, Denmark, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Bolivia, Guatemala, Canada, Cuba and with all the countries of the world are also developed.”
During the parade, the flag of the Trigarante Army waved again on the plate of the Zócalo in Mexico City, after 200 years ago, the contingent led by Agustín de Iturbide made its triumphal entry into the capital.
Among the many congratulatory messages from other nations to Mexicans, the one from U.S. President Joe Biden stood out, who said that his country “does not have a friend closer than Mexico.”
“Throughout our history we have learned that we are stronger when we come together as neighbors, partners and friends. My government is committed to continuing to build on this foundation to strengthen and expand the relationship between our peoples in ways that benefit us all,” he said.
“I look forward to all that our two nations will accomplish together in the years to come,” Biden said during a short recorded video.
Representatives from other countries, including France, Belize, Serbia, India and Russia, as well as the Vatican, also issued their respective congratulations during the ceremony that limited the access of visitors to the Zocalo due to the health emergency derived from COVID-19.
Here you can see his full speech.
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