FROM THE OUTSIDE: Sheinbaum and Trump

Por

José Carreño Figueras

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Publicado: 16/1/2025 · 9:36 a.m. MX | Actualizado: 16/1/2025 · 9:36 a.m. MX

The idea that President Claudia Sheinbaum may skip Donald Trump’s inauguration as the new U.S. president has garnered attention in Mexico, especially considering the confirmed attendance of Presidents Javier Milei of Argentina, Daniel Noboa of Ecuador, and Nayib Bukele of El Salvador.

Government leaders attending also include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

However, these leaders will not make official visits; rather, they are attending in a private capacity. They are personal guests of Trump, all aiming to build a relationship with the new U.S. president following the election.

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Furthermore, it’s important to emphasize that no Mexican leader has attended a U.S. presidential inauguration. Similarly, no foreign head of state or government has ever officially attended this ceremony.

The invited leaders appear to share an ideological alignment. The three Latin American presidents hold right-leaning views, particularly regarding economic and social issues. The alignment among the Europeans is even clearer, although Meloni seems to have softened her position somewhat, likely for political reasons, while Orbán remains on the fringes of European consensus.

Although it would have been preferable for Sheinbaum to get a personal invitation that highlighted the significance of the bilateral relationship, none of the nations with important trade or military partnerships with the United States will be attending this inauguration.

Certainly not Mexico or Canada, the two primary trade partners of the United States, which, along with the U.S., form a vital geopolitical region and a highly significant trade bloc.

Few European presences are expected; after all, Trump’s potential return to power raises concerns, unease, and fears because of his announcements regarding indiscriminate trade tariffs, threats to disregard collective defense agreements, and, most notably, his aggressive proposal to demand the cession of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.

Government officials at Trump’s inauguration will mainly offer political and image support to a leader who values his image. Among the attendees, Italy is the largest trading partner, with nearly $130 billion in trade.

However, these international allies play a crucial role in various ways in response to the conservative shifts in Europe, acting as a counterbalance to the “Pink Tide” in Latin America.

It is worth mentioning that, so far, the connection between Trump and Sheinbaum has mainly relied on phone conversations. Their relationship is driven entirely by political necessity; however, this doesn’t lessen the potential for them to strengthen both their personal bond and the ties between their countries in the future.

José Carreño Figueras