Page 16 - ATA

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 7 June 2019
Mexico plans border 'unity' rally, nabs 2 migrant activists

By MARK STEVENSON He also confirmed Mexican
Associated Press prosecutors had taken two
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexi- immigration activists into
co's president said Thursday custody but denied the
he will hold a "unity" rally on arrests were carried out
the border in Tijuana two to please the U.S. govern-
days before the U.S. is set ment.
to impose tariffs on all Mexi- "We do not act against
can imports. anybody to please any for-
President Andrés Manuel eign government," he said.
López Obrador announced Rights groups said one of
a demonstration will be those arrested is Irineo Mu-
held Saturday to defend jica, who has coordinated
Mexico's "dignity" amid a logistics and strategies for
looming threat from U.S. some of the migrant cara-
President Donald Trump, vans that have crossed
who has pledged to im- Mexico in previous months.
pose 5% tariffs on Mexican Mujica, of the migrant rights
products unless the coun- group Pueblo Sin Fronteras,
try prevents Central Ameri- appears to hold dual U.S.
can migrants from traveling and Mexican citizenship
through its territory. and has had brushes in the
López Obrador expressed past with Mexican police
confidence that an agree- related to protests in fa-
ment could be reached In this April 9, 2019 file photo, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador answers ques- vor of migrants. The latest
as talks continued Thurs- tions from journalists at his daily 7 a.m. press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, action by López Obrador
day, but did not offer any Tuesday. comes amid growing an-
specifics beyond rejecting Associated Press ger on the part of Trump,
the use of force against mi- who has railed against a
grants. friendship with the people over the last 20 years. he stressed Thursday that huge increase in the num-
"I am calling together the of the United States," said López Obrador has said "U.S. authorities have be- ber of migrants from Hon-
people of Mexico ... for a the president, who has held over and over again that haved very well, because duras, Guatemala and El
rally to defend the dignity a multitude of demonstra- his goal is to avoid any con- they have not cut off the Salvador who cross Mexico
of Mexico, and in favor of tions while in public office frontation with Trump, and dialogue." to reach the U.S. border. q

Argentina and Brazil reject Maduro, discuss economic ties

Associated Press Macri and Bolsonaro are
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina facing mounting challeng-
(AP) — Brazil's President es at home.
Jair Bolsonaro and Argen- Argentines are frustrated
tina's President Mauricio by a recession, a sharp de-
Macri reiterated their rejec- preciation of the peso and
tion of Venezuela's socialist a high inflation rate that
president on Thursday as have fueled protests.
the conservative Brazilian Bolsonaro had a big elec-
leader paid a state visit to tion victory last year but is
Buenos Aires. struggling to advance on
Venezuela is suffering from his agenda and is also cop-
an economic and gover- ing with a crashing curren-
nance crisis that has forced cy. He has faced protests
more than 3 million people against plans for a spend-
to flee the country, and ing freeze on education
dozens of nations consider and has seen his approval
Maduro's government to ratings drop.
be illegitimate. Activists in Argentina said
Macri, who will seek re- they would stage demon-
election in October, has strations later in the day
been critical of leftist former against Bolsonaro, who has
President Cristina Fernán- Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, second left, his wife first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, left, Argentina's disparaged women, blacks
dez, saying that if she re- President Mauricio Macri, second right, and his wife first lady Juliana Awada pose for a photo at and gays and posted fake
turns return to power as the government house in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, June 6, 2019. stories about reporters, de-
vice president, Argentina Associated Press clared Brazil shouldn't be
will suffer the same prob- allowed to become "a gay
lems as Venezuela. do everything possible to cussed potential energy South America's Mercosur paradise" and insulted oth-
"All of South America is restore democracy in Ven- deals and the fight against trade bloc, which he said er politicians. Amnesty In-
concerned that there will ezuela," Macri added, as corruption and organized is "very close" to finishing a ternational said it had sent
be no other Venezuelas in he stood alongside his Bra- crime, which is entrenched free trade deal with the Eu- a letter to Macri asking him
the region," Bolsonaro said zilian counterpart at the in both nations. ropean Union. to keep in mind Bolsonaro's
on his first visit to Argentina. presidential palace. Macri said both countries Brazil is Argentina's top aggressive rhetoric ahead
Argentina and Brazil "will The two presidents also dis- would seek to improve trade partner, but both of their meeting.q