Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum claimed “far-right” elements within the United States were trying to sabotage U.S.-Mexico relations, though she clarified she didn’t believe President Donald Trump himself was.Sheinbaum has walked a thin line between appeasing her base with language defiant against Washington, while also refraining from drawing the ire of Trump. In practice, this has largely entailed defiant rhetoric alongside significant concessions to Washington. She showed her skill of toeing the line between appeasing her base and Trump on Monday, when she blamed “far-right” elements in the U.S. for sabotaging relations, not Trump himself.“I’ll confess that I don’t think it is President Trump who has led this offensive on various issues; I don’t believe that,” Sheinbaum said, responding to a question from a journalist.
“As I said yesterday, I believe it is sectors of the far right in the United States that do not want a good relationship, that want a bad relationship with Mexico, who do not agree with the government that we lead, mainly for ideological reasons,” she added.
Her clarifying remarks came a day after a rally on Sunday commemorating the second anniversary of her electoral victory, during which she railed against U.S. influence in Mexico.
