Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) speaks during a rally on Saturday, June 8, 2019 in Tijuana, Mexico. The event was originally scheduled as an act of solidarity in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose a 5% tariff on Mexican imports if it did not stem the flow of Central American migrants heading toward the U.S. However, on Friday Mexican and U.S. officials reached an accord that will put Mexico in charge of cracking down on migrants in exchange for Trump backing off his threat and sending Mexico’s newly formed National Guard (which was originally established to combat the high crime rate in the country) to also police the flow of migrants coming in from Mexico’s Southern border. At the event it was estimated that 20,000 people attended the rally in Tijuana along with local and statewide politicians, including Mexico’s 20 state governors and AMLO’s federal cabinet including the lead negotiator who struck the deal with Washington, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard (picture 3). "We did not win everything, but we did win that there are no tariffs and above all, we leave with our dignity intact," said Ebrard. "We are going to continue to respect the human rights of the migrants arriving in our country." In the hour-long speech given by AMLO, he stressed the importance of the U.S.-Mexico relationship and its historic ties and why the U.S. needs Mexico. That he would avoid conflicts with Trump, but he also aims to embody the opposite of his style by refusing to criticize or judge the United States unlike Trump who criticizes Mexico. There were mixed reviews of this deal, critics said that Obrador played into the hands of Trump and is doing the U.S’ “dirty work” by becoming essentially the police for his racist and xenophobic rhetoric and acting against the morals of Mexico’s welcoming nature by going after migrants. Though he stated in his speech that the Mexican government would continue to provide visas for work, education and health care for migrants wanting to stay in Mexico to start a new life. — #onassignment #photojournalism #foroperiodismo #amlo #Tijuana #mexico (at Zona Centro, Tijuana, B.C.) https://www.instagram.com/p/BygwwLHFv_I/?igshid=1xr0fadui3twc
