Belize has a very special guest coming to visit on October 25th. The President of Mexico Enrique Pena Nieto will make his first visit to Belize for a quick half day of official business.
He has been indicted by Prime Minister Dean Barrow to co-chair the fourth CARICOM- Mexico Summit to be held in Belize City.
At the Summit he is expected to endorse the importance of Mexico's cooperation with the Caribbean in security, climate change, and the prevention of natural disasters. His participation will underscore 35 years of friendly relations between Belize and Mexico.
The participation of President Nieto is considered a big diplomatic score for Belize. His predecessor Felipe Calderon came to Belize early in his term, and received the order of Belize. Pena-Nieto is coming at the end of his term - which finishes in 2018. He is expected to take questions at a press conference on the evening of October 25th.
Belize to Welcome Mexican President Enrique Pe�a Nieto for CARICOM Summit
Mexican President Enrique Pe�a Nieto will be in Belize for the first time next week.� Traditionally, Mexican presidents visit before their inauguration as part of a tour of bordering countries and their state visits to Belize are almost guaranteed. The last Mexican president to visit was Felipe Calderon; that was back in 2007.� Now, Pe�a Nieto will be here next week for six hours. He has accepted the invitation to co-chair the fourth CARICOM-Mexico Summit, which will be held in Belize City on October twenty-fifth. The President's attendance is geared to strengthen the breakthrough of the third Mexico-CARICOM Summit held in 2014. �Pe�a Nieto will be promoting Mexico's cooperation with the Caribbean in terms of security and climate change and natural disasters. The Mexican Embassy says that the President's visit to Belize has been in the making for over two years - and his visit is significant.
Hugo Ju�rez Carrillo, Press and Legal Affairs, Mexican Embassy
"For us, as you can imagine, for any Embassy, it is a very important moment to receive your own President. We believe that it is going to be a terrific moment in order to improve the relationship between Mexico and Belize and the relationship between Mexico and the CARICOM countries."
Reporter
"His participation will be focusing mainly on what as it relates to CARICOM?"
Hugo Ju�rez Carrillo
"Well, the last ones have talked about climate change and after what we have suffered, especially we - Mexico - and the Caribbean countries especially the islands, this September, the hurricanes hit these countries and this is going to be one of the issues that going to be touched."
Andrea Polanco
"Now, the release said that this meeting will be building on what was discussed in 2014; can you share a little about that?"
Hugo Ju�rez Carrillo
"Always talking about cooperation; this is a very important part of the relationship that we have. You have to remember at the same time that it is not the same intensity of relations that we have between Mexico and Belize and between Mexico and the Caribbean. Finally, we are neighbours and this is a very important part of the relationship to have a secure border and to facilitate the travel of our citizens of our countries to each other and to improve at the same time the trade between Mexico and Belize."