Mexican president says the 'flow of migrants will continue' unless the US meets his demands

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Mexico's president says 'the flow of migrants will continue' if Latin America's requests are not met

Mexican President Obrador, nearing the end of his term, warned that the flow of migrants from Latin America into the United State will continue unless billions of aid is sent every year.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador warned on Sunday during an interview with "60 Minutes" that unless the United States complies with Latin America’s requests for aid, the tide of migrants will continue.

In January, Obrador issued a series of demands for what the U.S. must do to stop the flow of migrants to the border, ranging from sending Latin American countries $20 billion in aid a year to granting some level of amnesty to illegal immigrant workers in the U.S.

Mexico has reportedly taken some state-level action to curb mass migration at President Biden’s request, making crossings drop, however, the number of migrants began to rise again in February, with Border Patrol expecting another surge in thespring. 

"Everybody thinks you have the power in this moment to slow down migration. Do you plan to?" "60 Minutes" corrrespondent Sharyn Alfonsisaid asked Obrador.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador argued that Latin America must have certain needs met to curb the migrant crisis. (March 2024 migrant caravan photo by ISAAC GUZMAN/AFP via Getty Images, Obrador screenshot from CBS' "60 Minutes")

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"We do, and want to continue doing it. But we do want for the root causes to be attended to, for them to be seriously looked at," a translator interpreted Obrador’s response from Spanish.

Alfonsi noted Obrador's demands for the U.S. to send $20 billion a year to Latin America countries, lift sanctions on Venezuela, end the Cuban embargo and legalize millions of Mexicans that are living in the U.S. 

"If they don’t do the things that you’ve said need to be done, then what?," she asked. 

"The flow of migrants will continue," Obrador responded.

Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande and entered the U.S. from Mexico are lined up for processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas.  (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

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"Your critics have said what you’re doing, what you’re asking for to help secure the border, is diplomatic blackmail," Alfonsi said. "What do you say?"

"I’m speaking frankly," Obrador said. "We have to say things as they are. And I always say what I feel, I always say what I think."

The interviewer went on to ask, "If they don’t do those things, will you continue to help to secure the border?"

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"Yes, because our relationship is very important," Obrador replied. "It is fundamental."

Earlier in the episode, Alfonsi said that while immigration, the border, and the economy are key issues in the 2024 election, "the person who could tip the scales for either candidate is another president [Obrador]."