Mexico Exploits Brexit to Get Cozier with United States

The people of the United Kingdom made a decision. Brexit has made waves as the world has weighed in, but it was nothing more than the British people’s right to self-determination made real. However, other countries are now looking to use Brexit to change agreements to their advantage.

Mexico is calling for greater integration with its fellow North American nations in the wake of Britain’s call for removing itself from the European Union:

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Monday called for greater integration with Canada and the United States in the wake of Britain’s vote to split with the European Union.

Nieto, who spoke during a stopover in Quebec City, is scheduled to attend a North American leaders summit in Ottawa on Wednesday with his US and Canadian counterparts.

The three countries are economic partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and work closely on security matters.

At Wednesday’s summit, the leaders are expected to announce joint energy and environmental strategies, including matching renewable energy targets.

“The purpose of this visit is to renew our bilateral relationship, to give it new life, to find ways to advance the prosperity and competitiveness of North America,” Pena Nieto said.

“I think what is happening elsewhere in the world invites us to strengthen our strategic alliance and especially to be much more inclusive,” he said in response to questions about the so-called Brexit decision.

Britain’s shocking vote to quit the European Union has abruptly shoved itself onto the summit agenda.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US President Barack Obama had both called on Britain to stay in the EU.

Anyone surprised that Mexico would want to strengthen ties to the U.S. and Canada through NAFTA hasn’t really been paying attention to world events. That exact dynamic is what the EU is all about.

Mexico is a third-world nation bordering on failed-state status due to the violence caused by drug cartels within its borders. However, it has a beneficial free trade agreement with two first world nations.

There is pretty much zero downside for Mexico. Whether strengthened ties between the three countries would benefit the U.S. or Canada is another matter entirely.

Maybe Mexico doing anything to help seal our porous southern border would be a nice start in making this proposal worth our while?