:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elfinanciero/MLCESSF7ABEUFFPV2OHTUSVVBY.jpeg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "‘It is a protocol practice’ – El Financiero")
Claudia Sheinbaum, the next president of Mexico, clarified on Wednesday that the invitation sent to her counterpart Vladimir Putin to attend her inauguration ceremony is part of a protocol practice.
The international community has isolated Russia diplomatically, economically and even athletically due to the invasion of Ukraine, which will be two years old in 2024.
By the way, the former head of government clarified that the message sent to Vladimir Putin was actually nothing extraordinary.
“These are diplomatic notes that are normally sent when there are inaugurations to all the countries with which there are relations,” he said at his transition house on Wednesday, August 7.
Juan Ramón de la Fuente, the incoming foreign minister, added that these diplomatic notes are automatically sent to all countries with which Mexico has relations without making any exceptions.
“Mexico informs the world that on October 1 there will be a ceremony consisting of the change of command of the Executive Branch in the country and that Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum will assume the position,” he said.
Will the US react negatively to Putin’s invitation?
Sheinbaum also dismissed a negative reaction from the US government to Vladimir Putin’s possible attendance at the San Lázaro Legislative Palace.
“We are a free, sovereign, independent country, and we have a very good relationship with all countries in the world and also with the United States. (The sending of diplomatic notes) is something that has been done before, it is not something extraordinary,” he added.
Izvestia, the Russian media outlet that “revealed” the invitation, stressed that Mexico and Moscow have maintained good relations, despite “Western attempts to isolate the Russian Federation.”
As an example, the Russian media highlighted that the Government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador has stayed away from the Russian invasion of Ukraine by adopting a neutral position. In addition, it stated that in Russia they expect the Sheinbaum administration to maintain this position.
“Experts are convinced that the situation will not change with a change of government. Most likely, Sheinbaum will continue with the foreign policy of her predecessor,” he said.
On the other hand, Izvestia recalled the congratulations that President Putin sent to Sheinbaum after winning the presidential election. “In a congratulatory telegram, the Russian president noted that Mexico is a traditionally friendly partner of Russia in the Latin American region,” the publication stated.
The possible ‘uncomfortable’ guests at Sheinbaum’s inauguration
Claudia Sheinbaum also did not clarify, when asked by journalists at her transition house, whether she expects the attendance of the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, or the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, who was recently accused by the opposition of stealing the elections.
The former head of government, who will be the first woman to occupy the Presidency of Mexico, has not specified whether Felipe VI, King of Spain, will be present at the event, this after Sheinbaum stressed at the end of July that she agreed that “there must be forgiveness on the part of Spain” for “the Spanish conquest” that left “many massacres and violence.”
A week ago, Sheinbaum announced that Ecuador and Peru would not be invited to her inauguration, as they do not agree “with the policy that has been followed” and that has generated diplomatic conflicts between Mexico and the two South American countries.
With information from EFE
