Humanitarian Aid to Turkey/US Legislators to Visit Mexico

Humanitarian Aid to Turkey. Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard reported that a Mexican rescue team arrived in Turkey to help in the search for people. Ebrard stressed that the “moles”, who look for people under the rubble will also be sent. “At  5:47 a.m. a plane from the Mexican Air Force landed in the city of Adana.”"

Minister of Defense Luis Cresencio Sandoval said the Mexican government has sent 150 people to Turkey to help search and rescue efforts after massive 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes. The group called “Humanitarian Aid Forces” is composed of 90 elements of the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA), 37 members of the Navy, 15 members of the Red Cross and 5 diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE).

At least 11,000 people have died in Turkey and Syria due to the two devastating earthquakes. In addition, the authorities reported that some 300,000 people have been displaced in Syria.

US legislators will visit Mexico. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that US Climate Envoy John Kerry and other US legislators will visit Mexico to discuss the creation of wind projects. “John Kerry is likely to be around for the wind farm discussion. The objective is for the parks to be managed by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) but financed by the US with very low interest rates,” said López Obrador.

In March, Kerry will make his sixth visit to Mexico. He is expected to travel to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, where the Mexican government is looking to create an industrial corridor with 10 parks, of which 4 will be wind power projects. The new meeting seeks to further strengthen collaboration between Mexico and the US. The last time Kerry visited Mexico, he proposed building the largest solar power plant in Latin America.

Tesla in Mexico. President López Obrador said that the states of Nuevo Leon or Hidalgo are two promising locations where Tesla could settle. . 

Global electric car manufacturer Tesla chose Mexico to build its Gigafactory, which will have an initial investment of US$800 million and US$1 billion. With this new investment, Mexico is moving closer to its goal of developing a strong and attractive lithium value chain. The Gigafactory will produce components for the company's current vehicle models. However, it could later develop new models at a lower cost compared to other car factories. 

Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that Tesla CEO Elon Musk visited three Mexican states in order to find the best location to build a new factory. In  October, Musk visited Nuevo Leon and met with Governor Samuel García and US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar to discuss plans and prospects.