Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) made his first official visit to the United States – and first foreign visit since being elected in 2018- to visit the White House and celebrate the enactment of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, that will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Univision and Telemundo’s coverage ahead of the visit was equal parts derision and dismay.
The successful and very amicable meeting, however, was preceded by a wave of negative newscasts at the liberal Spanish-language networks, who seemingly could not conceive that AMLO and Trump have a respectful relationship of mutual admiration.
Watch this video compilation from news at Telemundo and Univision, that were aired prior to AMLO´s historic meeting with Trump, on July 7 and 8, 2020:
FELICIDAD AVEYEIRA: A visit not without controversy
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JANET RODRIGUEZ: The meeting between the two leaders has not been free of criticism
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CRISTINA LONDONO: No doubt that it would be a controversial visit
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RAUL TORRES: But there are still those who criticize, and very much so, that he goes at this time- after so many insults from President Donald Trump towards Mexico.
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RODRIGUEZ: Lopez Obrador will meet with President Trump, who has not tired of offending Mexico and its people.
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PABLO GATO: And others also say that President Trump has basically insulted many Mexicans by describing them as criminals.
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FELIX DE BEDOUT: Since launching his candidacy, Trump has been offending and attacking the neighbors...
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That's why many consider AMLO's presence in Washington to be a sign of weakness.
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JORGE RAMOS: President Lopez Obrador will visit Trump despite a flood of criticism. One (such critique) is that he is allowing Trump to use him- to manipulate him, just a few months from the elections in the United States, ignoring that Trump has been harsh towardsMexicans.
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LONDOÑO: There are also those who say that (Lopez Obrador) is bending the knee to President Trump, recalling all the insults of the American president to the Mexican people.
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TORRES: Well, there are those who say that Mexico will gain absolutely nothing from this problematic meeting; others say that yes, it will be a part of (Mexico’s) economic development. The truth is that we are all aware of President Trump’s mood swings. Felicidad.
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AVELEYRA: Don’t we know it...
In a normal world, it makes sense that the Hispanic press would celebrate the meeting for its economic implications - in 2019 alone, the value of trilateral trade between NAFTA members Canada, Mexico, and the United States exceeded $1.2 trillion, and the new UMSCA heralds greater mutual benefits. In addition, a solid relationship between the two neighboring nations is a reason for joy, particularly given the impact of illegal immigration on both Mexico and the United States.
However, such an angle would go against the constant “Trump is anti-immigrant” rhetoric of both Telemundo and Univision as MRC Latino has previously pointed out, here, here and here.
Also notable in the pre-visit coverage: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that he declined to attend President Trump's invitation to the UMSCA signing ceremony over concerns about COVID-19. To hear it from the Latino nets, Trudeau was shunning Trump.
So much for unity and fairness for all, as preached by the liberal press.
This example of grievance-driven advocacy passing as journalism was brought to you by Walmart, Colgate, Amex, Taco Bell, Chevrolet, Febreze and ATT&T.
