June 9 (UPI) — U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel this week to Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala in an effort to boost economic growth and end undocumented immigration, the State Department announced Monday.
Landau will participate in high-level bilateral talks “to further strengthen diplomatic ties and cooperation,” starting Tuesday. He will also work to “drive private sector led economic growth, boost U.S. commercial investments in our region and highlight the importance of ending illegal immigration,” before returning Friday to the United States.
Landau, who was born in Madrid, Spain, and speaks fluent Spanish, served as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 2019 to 2021. He was confirmed by the Senate to become U.S. deputy secretary of State in March. After his confirmation, Landau addressed the people of Mexico in a Spanish-language statement saying, “the relationship between our countries will continue to be one of my top priorities.”
“Even if I do not have the pleasure of living among you again, you will always be very present to me,” he added.
Landau’s return to Mexico this week comes three months after Trump threatened 25% tariffs on all imports to stop the flow of undocumented migrants and illegal drugs into the United States. Those tariffs were later suspended for products compliant with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
While Trump set 25% tariffs on Mexico, he set only 10% tariffs on Guatemala, which officials hope put their country in a better position to spur more investment. Lisardo Bolaños, former deputy minister of Investment and Competitiveness in Guatemala’s Ministry of Economy, said unlike Mexico, the United States maintains a goods trade surplus with Guatemala.
“Guatemala is a key U.S. ally in the region. We have shown decades-long support for U.S. policies in the international arena,” Bolaños said last month.
Undocumented immigration is expected to be among the lead topics discussed this week when Landau meets with officials in El Salvador, which is currently housing more than 137 migrants flown out of the United States to a maximum-security prison.
Many of the deportees, removed under the provisions of the Alien Enemies Act, were Venezuelans accused of being members of Tren de Aragua, which Trump calls a terrorist organization.
Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled the Department of Homeland Security had “improperly” flown the migrants from Texas to El Salvador without granting them due process to challenge their designation as “alien enemies.”
