the Latino daily – Your Thursday morning brief

THURSDAY, April 6, 2016

Good morning Taquistas!

Have you got your morning beverage? Serve it up, let’s get the news.

In spite of Trump, or maybe because of him . . .

►The Mexican government has launched a strategy to strengthen its image in the U.S.

And one of the first moves is a change of Ambassador, who was appointed only seven months ago.

There’s no word on the reason, but Ambassador Miguel Basañes will more than likely be replaced by Carlos Manuel Sada, who now serves as Mexico’s Consul General in Los Angeles. I say more than likely because it’s not official, yet. Mexico’s Senate must approve the nomination, but all bets are that President Enrique Peña Nieto’s designated man will get the nod.

Fox News Latino reports that Sada ‘has extensive experience in consular work and in protecting the rights of Mexicans in the United States,’ as well as in defending the country’s interests abroad, the [Foreign Relations] secretariat said in a statement.”

I figure this is a good time to review the U.S. trade relationship with Mexico.

►Thursday’s numbers

536 billion – The total amount, in dollars, of U.S. goods and private services trade with Mexico.

243 billion – The total amount, in dollars, of U.S. exports to Mexico.

293 billion – The total amount, in dollars, of U.S. imports from Mexico.

49 billion – The total amount, in dollars, of the U.S. goods trade deficit with Mexico.

2 – The rank of Mexico among U.S. goods export markets.

3 – The rank of the U.S. among Mexico’s goods imports suppliers.

Source: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Quote of the day

“. . . it would go directly to consumption and, in practice, affect families who receive this income and who have begun to build new homes, … to have flat-screen TVs, to have cellphones, and so on, in the most remote towns of the country.”

– Alfredo Coutino, Latin America director for Moody’s Analytics, commenting on Fox News Latino on the effect of Donald Trump’s proposal to stop money transfers to Mexico. Coutino added that the transfers, known as remittances, are responsible for keeping poverty from rising in Mexico.

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