In Mexico, and throughout the world, the long awaited U.S. presidential election has been a subject of great interest and importance. The Mexican peso experienced the so called “Trump Effect,” and its devaluation has been considerable given the uncertainty caused by the Republican president-elect’s now famous rhetoric regarding the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico. Nevertheless, now that the dust has settled and political sentiment has been expressed, it seems that a more objective viewpoint is coming into place. Mexico and the U.S. are bound by many projects, which cannot be destroyed as a result of a change in politics or a governing party. Such ties are much more important than a relationship between governments, as they encompass economic, social, cultural, academic and political matters. There are tens of thousands of U.S. companies with ties to Mexico in various economic and business activities. Binational academic exchange is equally important. Furthermore, it must be noted that millions of Mexicans (almost ten percent of the population) live and work in the U.S., while a couple of million U.S. citizens live in Mexico. In light of the election results, the Mexican federal government has taken actions such as establishing a group of high level Mexican government officials and corporate leaders to address immigration questions and review the framework of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). President Enrique Peña Nieto has personally congratulated President-elect Trump and announced that groups representing the U.S. and Mexico would soon meet to review the bi-national agenda. While there are always winners and losers in politics, the one constant is that we cannot lose sight of our common goals and aspirations.
