Joseph R. Biden Jr. Inaugurated as President of the US

Today, Joseph R. Biden Jr. took the oath of office and officially became the 46th President of the US. Kamala Harris also took the oath of office and officially became the first female, first Black and first South Asian Vice President in the country.

During Biden’s inaugural speech, he thanked his predecessors from both parties for being present at the ceremony. He addressed the “Winter of Peril,” referring to the actions that will be taken regarding COVID-19, which still “silently stalks the country.” Biden also talked about ending division and making unity a priority from now on. “I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real. But I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh, ugly reality of racism, nativism, fear and demonization that have long torn us apart.” As he mentioned, there is “much to repair, much to restore and much to heal.” He insisted that this is essential to restore America’s soul, while reiterating he will be president “for all Americans,” reported CNN.

As one of his last statements, Biden made clear his intentions to repair alliances and engage with the world once again. “Here is my message to those beyond our borders. America has been tested, and we have come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again ... We will lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. We will be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and security.”

Mexico and Biden’s Administration

Future plans for the relationship between the US and Mexico will become clearer now that Biden has entered office. “The wall” is one of the projects that will be ending immediately and the money destined for it will actually be redirected. Moreover, Biden will revoke one of Trump’s first executive orders, which signaled 11 million people illegally residing in the US to be considered priorities for deportation, as reported by AP News. 

Biden’s statement on repairing alliances could be a roadblock for Mexico. As previously mentioned in an MBN article, Biden has stated how important China is. Until now, Mexico has enjoyed a commercial advantage following the trade war between these two countries, becoming the main provider of products arriving from Asia. “Mexico would have to be very innocent not to be prepared for Biden to become president,” said Mario Jorge Yánez, Partner at Hogan Lovells, to El Financiero.

On the other hand, Mexican investors hope this change to bring investments in infrastructure and renewable energy. However, they are also expecting a rise in taxes to finance their plans. Some economists believe that fiscal changes will be reasonable given the economic recovery context in which the US finds itself. “We will do our best to exceed all the expectations you have for the country and the expectations that we have,” Biden said, according to El Financiero.

During today’s morning press conference, President López Obrador wished President Biden the best of luck. He also mentioned Trump, who became the third president to miss their successors' regularly scheduled swearing-in.