President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico commemorated the United States’ Independence Day on Thursday, saying in his daily news conference that he hopes relations between the two countries will be marked by friendship and cooperation.
Lopez Obrador began his news conference by saying he wanted to congratulate the people and government of the United States. The White House, as recently as this year, has issued a statement acknowledging the fifth of May, which commemorates the Battle of Puebla, when the Mexican military defeated the French.
Mexico’s Independence Day is Sept. 16.
The U.S. "gained their independence in 1776, and so began the construction of that great nation," Lopez Obrador said. "We wish to always have relations of friendship and cooperation."
The two countries’ relationship has often been contentious since President Donald Trump took office in 2017. Most recently, relations were tense as Trump threatened to slap tariffs on all Mexican imports, if Mexico didn’t reduce the number of migrants — mostly from Central America — arriving to the U.S. border through Mexico. The two countries reached a temporary agreement, officials from both sides have said.