This archive report was first published on 16 August 2019.
On August 16, 2019, Jeffrey Landau, the newly appointed US Ambassador to Mexico, arrived in Mexico City, marking the end of a nearly three-month diplomatic vacuum at the US embassy.
Landau, a first-time diplomat, was met with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, given the strained ties between the two nations. Speaking fluent Spanish, he extended an olive branch, saying, "I am here to listen and learn," and emphasized the importance of a strong bilateral relationship.
"The United States wins when Mexico is prosperous and stable, and Mexico wins when the United States is prosperous and stable," Landau stated, highlighting the interconnected nature of the two economies.
Landau's appointment has been long-awaited, with rumors of his selection dating back to the start of the Trump administration. A prominent Washington lawyer, he has no diplomatic experience but has a deep understanding of Latin America, having studied the region at Harvard.
His father, George Landau, was a seasoned US policymaker in Latin America, serving as ambassador to Chile, Paraguay, and Venezuela. The new ambassador's arrival comes at a critical time, as US-Mexico ties have been strained by Trump's policies, including his pledge to build a wall on the shared border and his threats to impose tariffs on Mexican goods.
