Mexican Official In Phila. Talks Trade With U.S., Presidential Speeches
PHILADELHIA (CBS) - Mexico's Secretary of Tourism is in Philadelphia to counter some of the negativity that's been included in speeches in the presidential election.
Enrique de la Madrid is meeting with local and regional leaders to talk about the benefits to Americans of the burgeoning trade relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.
"So the reality is our countries are together, our economies are every day more interdependent, that the jobs that have been lost in the U.S. have nothing to do with trade. It has to do with innovation process, new technologies. It has nothing to do with trade. It has nothing to do with sending plants down to Mexico."
He says the ideas that were stressed in the 1980s when NAFTA was negotiated are still true today:
"We want to export computers, we want to export televisions, we want to export refrigerators we do not want to export people. The only way not to export people is to continue trading among us."
He adds Mexico does not like to be attacked in the speeches of the presidential campaign, which he calls "noise:"
"But after the noise passes, our relationship should continue to progress to be stronger for the well-being for both's people. That is what we want to obtain."
Enrique de la Madrid's father -- Miguel de la Madrid -- was the former president of Mexico from 1982 to 1988.