López Obrador promises to protect US avocado inspectors from threats

The Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obradorpromised this Wednesday that there will be protection for agricultural inspectors from the United States, which this week suspended the trade of avocado and mangoes from Michoacán, a state in the west of the country, in the face of threats and attacks from crime.

“If they feel that there are threats to their inspectors, let us seek to protect them, as we have always done, and help them in their role.“, declared the president in his morning conference.

Even so, the Mexican ruler insisted on “that unilateral measures not be taken that do not correspond to the good relationship“between both countries,”a relationship of friendship, business partners”.

“Then there won’t be any problem, there won’t be a fight.“, previous.

His statements come after an announcement this Tuesday from the United States Embassy regarding the suspension of inspections of avocados and mangoes from Michoacán until the “security issues“after two US officials”were recently attacked and arrested”.

Ambassador Ken Salazar revealed that two employees of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) “They were recently attacked and detained while doing their work in the state of Michoacán inspecting avocados.“, although he specified that “They are no longer in captivity”.

Also in 2022 there was a similar measure when organized crime threatened USDA inspectors in the same state, one of the states with the most homicides in the country.

Despite the conflict, López Obrador asserted that there is “Good relations” with Washington, so he predicted a quick solution to the trade brake, which only affects Michoacán, but it is the largest producer of avocado and only one of two states authorized to export the fruit to the United States.

“We have to resolve the avocado issue, we have a very good relationship with President (Joe) Biden, with Ambassador Ken Salazar, surely a meeting will be held these days, I am going to ask the Secretary of Foreign Relations ), Alicia Bárcena, look for the ambassador and resolve“, said.

Avocado from Mexican producers is the leader in production and export worldwide with 1.68 million tons annually, with the states of Michoacán and Jalisco as the main exporters.