Foreign policy of A.M. López Obrador: Declarations and reality

The paper examines the foreign policy of Mexico during the first years of President A. M. López Obrador (AMLO) administration (2018‒2020). The research aims to both identify the key priorities of the country’s foreign policy (i.e., relations with the United States and Latin American countries, partic...

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Main Author: V. L. Jeifets
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Moscow University Press 2021-07-01
Series:Вестник Московского Университета. Серия XXV: Международные отношения и мировая политика
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Online Access:https://fmp.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/106
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author V. L. Jeifets
author_facet V. L. Jeifets
author_sort V. L. Jeifets
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description The paper examines the foreign policy of Mexico during the first years of President A. M. López Obrador (AMLO) administration (2018‒2020). The research aims to both identify the key priorities of the country’s foreign policy (i.e., relations with the United States and Latin American countries, particularly in the context of the Venezuelan and Bolivian crises, as well as the Central American migration crisis) and to weigh it up against traditional patterns of Mexico’s foreign policy behavior, as well as to assess its overall feasibility. The latter issue is all the more relevant since the center-left administration of AMLO is constantly criticized for its ‘populism’. The paper shows that Mexico continues to prioritize relations with the United States not only in terms of economic cooperation (within the USMCA framework) and in addressing the migration crisis but also in terms of the overall foreign policy agenda setting as well. However, the author emphasizes that although the pressure from the United States is significant and can take various forms, Mexico manages to pursue an independent and multifaceted policy, as the Venezuelan and Bolivian crises have shown. Such a policy is based on the traditional principles that have crystallized during the years of maneuvering between the interests of the great powers and which, according to AMLO and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, should not be subject to any revision. These principles include non-interference in the internal affairs of other states and respect for their sovereignty, as well as respect for the right to political asylum. It is these principles that may contribute to reinforcing the international role of Mexico both regionally and globally despite a rather limited involvement of the current administration in foreign policy matters and its focus on domestic issues. Thus, the author concludes that beneath the populist rhetoric of A. M. López Obrador lies a fairly traditional foreign policy, warranted by the domestic situation and international environment.
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spelling doaj-art-0825c13565e942adb33433c072fa77ff2025-02-02T11:10:31ZengMoscow University PressВестник Московского Университета. Серия XXV: Международные отношения и мировая политика2076-74042021-07-0113217120210.48015/2076-7404-2021-13-2-171-202105Foreign policy of A.M. López Obrador: Declarations and realityV. L. Jeifets0St. Petersburg State UniversityThe paper examines the foreign policy of Mexico during the first years of President A. M. López Obrador (AMLO) administration (2018‒2020). The research aims to both identify the key priorities of the country’s foreign policy (i.e., relations with the United States and Latin American countries, particularly in the context of the Venezuelan and Bolivian crises, as well as the Central American migration crisis) and to weigh it up against traditional patterns of Mexico’s foreign policy behavior, as well as to assess its overall feasibility. The latter issue is all the more relevant since the center-left administration of AMLO is constantly criticized for its ‘populism’. The paper shows that Mexico continues to prioritize relations with the United States not only in terms of economic cooperation (within the USMCA framework) and in addressing the migration crisis but also in terms of the overall foreign policy agenda setting as well. However, the author emphasizes that although the pressure from the United States is significant and can take various forms, Mexico manages to pursue an independent and multifaceted policy, as the Venezuelan and Bolivian crises have shown. Such a policy is based on the traditional principles that have crystallized during the years of maneuvering between the interests of the great powers and which, according to AMLO and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, should not be subject to any revision. These principles include non-interference in the internal affairs of other states and respect for their sovereignty, as well as respect for the right to political asylum. It is these principles that may contribute to reinforcing the international role of Mexico both regionally and globally despite a rather limited involvement of the current administration in foreign policy matters and its focus on domestic issues. Thus, the author concludes that beneath the populist rhetoric of A. M. López Obrador lies a fairly traditional foreign policy, warranted by the domestic situation and international environment.https://fmp.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/106mexicoexternal policypopulisma.m. lópez obradormigration crisisvenezuelaboliviausmcanational sovereigntynon-interference in internal affairs
spellingShingle V. L. Jeifets
Foreign policy of A.M. López Obrador: Declarations and reality
Вестник Московского Университета. Серия XXV: Международные отношения и мировая политика
mexico
external policy
populism
a.m. lópez obrador
migration crisis
venezuela
bolivia
usmca
national sovereignty
non-interference in internal affairs
title Foreign policy of A.M. López Obrador: Declarations and reality
title_full Foreign policy of A.M. López Obrador: Declarations and reality
title_fullStr Foreign policy of A.M. López Obrador: Declarations and reality
title_full_unstemmed Foreign policy of A.M. López Obrador: Declarations and reality
title_short Foreign policy of A.M. López Obrador: Declarations and reality
title_sort foreign policy of a m lopez obrador declarations and reality
topic mexico
external policy
populism
a.m. lópez obrador
migration crisis
venezuela
bolivia
usmca
national sovereignty
non-interference in internal affairs
url https://fmp.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/106
work_keys_str_mv AT vljeifets foreignpolicyofamlopezobradordeclarationsandreality