Mexican foreign secretary goes straight to the White House, skips usual channels
Mexico's top diplomat came to Washington Thursday for meetings with the U.S. government, sidestepping the normal channels and heading straight for the White House.
Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray met at the White House with President Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner, along with National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and Gary Cohn, a top financial aide, the Mexican government announced.
Striking in its absence from that announcement was any mention of a meeting with officials from the State Department.
It is customary for foreign secretaries from all nations to be received by their U.S. counterpart when in Washington, currently Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
But when asked whether any sessions were scheduled at the State Department, the spokesman, Mark Toner, said he didn't know Videgaray was in town. That disconnect suggested the State Department, under Trump, was being marginalized.
Later, however, Videgaray himself explained that he had spoken by telephone to Tillerson the night before to let him know he was arriving in Washington.
But Videgaray said the thrust of his mission meant he needed to speakdirectly to the White House. He and Tillerson agreed to meet in person in a couple of weeks, Videgaray said, part of an ongoing "dialogue" the two governments are holding to attempt to repair relations damaged by Trump's bombastic campaign rhetoric against Mexico.
For Thursday's meetings, however, Videgaray said he had to raise Mexican complaints about U.S. suggestions it would separate migrant children from their parents at the border as a way to discourage illegal crossings.
"Family integrity," Videgaray said during a briefing at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, "is a basic human right."
He said his U.S. interlocutors said the separation plan was only "under consideration."
Tillerson and Videgaray met two weeks ago in Mexico City, along with Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and his Mexican counterpart, Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong.
Mexico has also objected to U.S. suggestions it would dump non-Mexican migrants over the border inside Mexico.
The Trump administration has had little success in soothing Mexican anger after the new president unleashed a string of insults against Mexicans and insisted they would pay for a multi-billion-dollar wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Trump says it would stop illegal immigration and the flow of illicit drugs, something most experts dispute.
New U.S. statistics show detentions of people crossing the border illegally are declining, part of an overall immigration slowdown that has been taking place for the last decade.
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Good morning. Fresh, hot coffee is in my old familiar "Granny" cup mixed with a little "Coffee-Mate" Hazelnut flavored coffee creamer to enhance its rich but smooth character . The smell whispers comfort and I cannot resist the rich luxury of it. Our puppies are curled up, each in their own warm little doggie blankets, near Grandpoppy's brown desk as I type out this mornings political missive.
Nothing in this new Trump Presidential Administration with its various appointed Dept. heads seems to be following the regular standard of government operation, that past Presidential Administrations have observed.
This week when a visiting Mexican head of state comes to Washington, D.C. to discuss concerns over immigration issues at the border, it became an important issue to address in the operation of our State Dept., because they didn't even know they were there! This has never happened before. I am confused, "WHAT IS GOING ON?"
Exactly, what is the Trump Administration plan, when the State Dept. is intentionally left out of the political loop and doesn't know what is going on?
Does the Steve Bannon gang plan on keeping all the political inner-workings a secret from the appropriate government offices? These particular government offices were specifically created for the purpose of helping the country's leaders and lawmakers manage their day-to-day official political agendas for national and international diplomatic reasons.
Absolute control that takes away from an established political office/department does not inspire trust/confidence or improve morale among the delegated workers in any employ, meant to serve a Presidential Administration.
The action of imposing absolute control over anything/anyone is bound to inspire resentment and fear and is demeaning in its nature. Apparently, Trump missed that class in Business Management 101 about delegation of duties, when he was in college. So much for the "Art of the Deal", from America's greatest...(uh...uhm) deal maker.
Granny Annie invites you to sit down and enjoy a delicious power breakfast of coffee, juice, honey-buttered toast, eggs and bacon at the Politic Cafe, with a slice of fresh Avocado and Cholula Mexican Hot Sauce on your eggs.
"Boner Appertite"!
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