Mexico

**Mr President,** **Dear delegates,** I convey to you the fraternal greetings of our President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. It is an honour to return to this General Assembly, which was my home for many years, to now speak before you as the representative of Mexico. We are at a turning point in history. The neoliberal hegemony has shown its clear failure by promoting an extractivist development model that socialises losses, privatises profits, impoverishes the people, and devastates the planet. Arms races and wars have returned to international geopolitics; environmental devastation is advancing; frustration and discontent manifest in extremism, in proposals that deny rights and reject democratic values; and international institutions are losing legitimacy. Secretary-General António Guterres referred to these phenomena, describing a purgatory of polarity and instability—symptoms of civilisational crisis, of a transitional era in which the old has not yet died, and the new is yet to be born. The similarities between our times and the interwar period of the last century are increasingly evident—and worrying. We know what that led to: terrible years in which the world’s production lines were converted into machines of war, and humanity itself became just another input. Yet history also shows us that, in crisis, with courage and boldness, we can divert this destructive course. During the last century’s interwar period, **Mexico’s foreign policy** wrote an exceptional chapter, guided by humanism, solidarity, and respect for international law. Mexico championed the value of the **League of Nations**, justice, self-determination, interdependence, and the equality and independence of all nations. Under these banners, we forcefully condemned militarism and the invasions of Manchuria, Austria, and Ethiopia, as well as the advance of fascism in Europe. After World War II, **Mexico led the declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a nuclear-weapon-free zone**. Today, as then, **Mexico is committed to constructing emancipatory alternatives**. Our homeland is guided by **Mexican Humanism**, born of our millennia-old history and the compass of our national transformation project—building a just, equal, and fraternal society. This moral economy seeks equitable income distribution and respect for the environment. It is a **revolution of consciousness** that, under President López Obrador’s administration, has reversed poverty and precarious living conditions: over **9.5 million Mexicans have exited poverty** in five years, and inequality (Gini coefficient) has reached a historic low. **Wages have increased 135%**, defying the inflationary myths used to uphold the status quo. Fiscal privileges were eliminated, strengthening public coffers and curbing corruption, tax evasion, and avoidance. All these achievements have occurred in a context of **macroeconomic stability**, positioning Mexico as a **top investment destination**. At the constitutional level, **unprecedented reforms** recognised Indigenous peoples’ rights, ensured women’s political participation and equality, and enshrined social achievements in our Constitution for future generations. --- This is reflected in our foreign policy too. As a nation of migrants, every stage of the migration cycle is familiar to us. Drawing on this experience, Mexico has implemented the **Mexican Human Mobility Model** to address migration holistically, tackling structural causes and fostering regional cooperation. The model has four pillars: 1. Empower Mexican communities abroad and call on the US to regularise their status. 2. Expand cooperation for development in communities of origin and return. 3. Address political factors and sanctions that hinder development and generate irregular migration. 4. Create safe, orderly, and labour-related migration channels. Let it be heard clearly: **Migration is not a crime. Migrants are not criminals.** The problem lies in the **factors that displace them**, the dangers they face without legal pathways, and the **criminalising practices** they endure. We honour the **37 million Mexicans in the US**, who are hardworking, law-abiding people contributing around **$324 billion annually** to US GDP. They are essential to both economies. Mexico has changed the **narrative and conversation with the US**, focusing on structural causes. We convened regional leaders in Palenque and reached **strategic agreements** that have reduced encounters at the Mexico–US border by **66%**. --- Let us also be clear: **Development and stability will never be the norm** in the international system if we do not guarantee **women’s rights and inclusion**. As the first Global South country to adopt a **Feminist Foreign Policy**, Mexico hosted the **Third Ministerial Conference** on Feminist Foreign Policy, where commitments were enshrined in the **Pact for the Future**. Still, just this week, **only nine women heads of state or government** spoke from this podium—**nine out of 133 countries**. The world cannot advance while half its population is excluded. **The future will be feminist or it will not be.** --- **Climate change**, as economist Nicholas Stern said, is “the greatest market failure of all time” and also our greatest collective challenge. Its mitigation requires **joint and simultaneous action**, including **funding and accountability** from the Global North, in line with common but differentiated responsibilities. Mexico reaffirms its commitment to: - The **Paris Agreement** - The **Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework** - Synergies among the **Rio Conventions** We propose **measuring and restoring ecosystem integrity**, recognising ecosystems as providers of essential goods, services, and climate stability. We participated in **legal proceedings** at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and the International Court of Justice regarding **state responsibility in climate change**. We support ratifying the treaty on **Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction**, and we call for a **continued moratorium on deep-sea mining**. --- The global security landscape is undergoing **dramatic transformation**. We are alarmed by the growing threats to peace, including **violations of the UN Charter** and the **risk of nuclear war**, the gravest threat humanity faces. We support **territorial integrity in all regions**, including **Ukraine and Palestine**, and advocate for political solutions and **inclusive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine**. We welcome the **peace initiative by Brazil and China** at the UN. This war has dragged on too long. **Everyone loses—except the arms dealers who profit from death and suffering**. We call for urgent action to **eliminate nuclear weapons**, which defy space and time and violate international law and the survival of humanity. But even **small arms** are a source of violence. Over **half a million firearms enter Mexico illegally each year**. The **arms industry must be held accountable**. Mexico has taken legal action, recognising the industry as a central actor in the problem—and the solution. We understand that the **illegal arms trade fuels the drug trade and organised crime**, especially on our northern border. --- **Humanity is breaking in Gaza** due to the inaction of the international community. Over **70% of victims are women and children**; more than **85% of civilians are displaced**; most lack food, water, or electricity. Mexico has therefore: - **Requested to intervene** in the **ICJ genocide case** initiated by South Africa - **Referred the situation in Palestine** to the **International Criminal Court**, alongside Chile - Submitted **amicus briefs** to support the Court’s jurisdiction We reject the **false binary between terrorism and disproportionate state violence**. To realise the **two-state solution**, UN resolutions and ICJ opinions on **Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory** must be respected. International law and institutions are **our last line of defence before barbarism**. We **strongly condemn Ecuador’s illegal attack** on our Embassy in Quito on **5 April 2024**, the **assault on our diplomats**, and the **unlawful removal** of a person Mexico had granted asylum. That individual remains in prison and gravely ill. We thank the international community for its widespread condemnation—but this cannot be normalised or forgotten. --- **The UN Security Council needs urgent reform.** Mexico calls for **the complete elimination of the veto**—or at the very least, its **restriction in cases of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.** Latin America and the Caribbean is our natural region and a priority. We believe **progress for one of our countries is progress for all**. Mexico has: - Acted as **guarantor** in the peace process between **Colombia’s government and the ELN**, hosting two negotiation rounds. - Supported **dialogues between Venezuela’s government and opposition**, and between Venezuela and the United States. - Upheld **solidarity, self-determination, and well-being** as principles, including for **Haiti’s reconstruction**. - Reiterated its opposition to the **US embargo on Cuba** and called for Cuba to be **removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism**. --- Mexico also honours its **tradition of asylum**. We granted **political asylum**, refuge, and complementary protection to tens of thousands in need. On **1 October**, we will inaugurate our **first woman president in 200 years**, **Dr Claudia Sheinbaum**. Her humanist government will deepen efforts to **combat poverty and inequality**, prioritise **well-being and shared prosperity**, protect **natural and cultural heritage**, and uphold **environmental respect**. As she said: **she does not arrive alone—** *“we all arrive with her.”* --- Mexico’s foreign policy will continue to reflect our **highest values**, rooted in our **heritage and struggles**. We offer: - **Hope against fear** - **Solidarity against hate** - **Humanism against devastation** We live in a world that bruises the soul. Brutal cruelty is broadcast daily. Death has become a statistic. Yet people look to this house—the **United Nations**—in hope that diplomacy will **avert the failure of reason**. But many are disheartened by **partisan geopolitics**, **double standards**, and the **raw force of a concentrated few**, whose profits are built on the pain of the many. The UN was created to forge another path. Despite its flaws, it remains a **civilisational achievement** worthy of our commitment. It was founded after the horrors of two world wars, to safeguard humanity from violence and inequality. Today, it appears **impotent**, **unable to prevent atrocities**. We must **rebuild trust**, transform **governance and institutions**, and create a mirror that **reflects today’s world**, not just that of **1945**. Let us reaffirm multilateralism, cooperation, and our **shared destiny on this planet**. --- In this journey towards a **just world**, Mexico will always be a **loyal partner, a committed ally, and a fraternal voice**. Let us claim the present to build the future. As José Emilio Pacheco wrote during another transformative era—1968: > *“A world falls apart; another is born. Darkness surrounds us, but light still flickers. There is no hope—but there is life, and all of it is ours.”* And as Eduardo Galeano said: > *“What if we began to exercise the never-proclaimed right to dream? What if, for a moment in this millennium, we imagined a world where justice and freedom—Siamese twins long separated—reunite, back to back? A world where we are compatriots and contemporaries of all those who strive for beauty and justice, no matter where or when they were born.”* **Thank you very much.**