U.S. Secretary of State Discusses Migration and Security with New Mexican Foreign Minister

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a telephone call this Thursday with Mexico's new foreign minister, Roberto Velasco, congratulating him on his appointment and urging to strengthen bilateral cooperation. According to the State Department, during the conversation, Rubio discussed efforts to “deter massive illegal immigration, secure our borders, and promote regional stability.” In turn, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) only confirmed in a brief message on its X account that the conversation covered priority issues on the agenda between Mexico and the United States. The ministry noted that both officials recognized progress in security matters based on shared principles, as well as the need to address migratory challenges with respect for human rights. This exchange comes at a time when migration is one of the main points of pressure for the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum, amid Washington's demands to reinforce border control. Earlier this morning, Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco held a productive and cordial work call with Secretary Marco Rubio of the State Department, to whom he thanked him for his congratulations on the new position. They also discussed topics on the bilateral agenda. In his second day as foreign minister, Roberto Velasco made a direct demand to the Donald Trump administration over the deaths of Mexican citizens in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Velasco described these incidents as “unacceptable” and emphasized the need to ensure dignified and safe conditions for migrants detained in the United States, a stance Velasco has held since his time as undersecretary for North America. “We find it unacceptable that Mexicans have lost their lives in ICE custody, and we will continue to raise this issue in various legal contexts in support of their families,” the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an interview with Manuel Feregrino. Roberto Velasco arrives with experience in the relationship with the U.S. Velasco was ratified on Wednesday by a broad majority in the Mexican Senate to head the Secretariat of Foreign Relations, replacing Juan Ramón de la Fuente, who resigned a week ago for health reasons. The new foreign minister, nominated by President Claudia Sheinbaum, has extensive experience in the relationship with the United States, as in the previous government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, he was in charge of coordinating the migration, security, and commercial policy with the neighboring country. Although the relationship between Sheinbaum and U.S. President Donald Trump is cordial, it has also been marked by tensions arising from the imposition of tariffs on Mexico and the U.S. leader's threats to carry out anti-narcotics operations in Mexican territory. Velasco also began this Thursday with phone calls to his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, and other Latin American foreign ministers. Information from EFE.