U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Tommy Tuberville, Bill Hagerty, and Tim Kaine sent a letter to Alicia Bárcena, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, urging action over the Mexican government’s ongoing harassment of Vulcan Materials Company.
The letter marks two years since the Mexican government’s invasion and shutdown of Vulcan’s Punta Venado deep-water port in Quintana Roo. Since the invasion, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has repeatedly threatened to seize Vulcan’s port and limestone quarry, despite the company’s 35-year presence in Mexico.
“President López Obrador’s conduct threatening Vulcan’s lawful operations in Mexico has consistently been unacceptable and illegitimate under Mexican law and international law. Key infrastructure projects in Alabama and across the Southeastern United States continue to be in jeopardy because of this Mexican presidential administration’s lawlessness,” Sen. Britt (R-Montgomery) said.
“I will always stand up for Alabama’s and America’s economic and security interests, and I urge the Mexican government to find a constructive path forward that will not threaten further degradation in the U.S.-Mexico bilateral relationship.”
RELATED: Britt: Mexican seizure of Vulcan Materials port ‘shameful’
Last March, the Alabama delegation met with Ambassador Moctezuma and advocated for Vulcan in its dispute with Mexico. The delegation then announced that the Mexican military had left the Vulcan Materials Company’s port facility in Mexico and Mexican law enforcement had left the facility.
“Alabama is proud to be home to the world-renowned Vulcan Materials Company. Vulcan has provided good-paying jobs to thousands of Americans since its founding more than 100 years ago, Vulcan has operated an environmentally award-winning business in Mexico for more than three decades, boosting economic growth in the region,” Sen. Tuberville (R-Auburn) said.
“The Mexican government’s hostility toward Vulcan is unwarranted, and jeopardizes the long-standing bilateral relationship between Mexico and the U.S. I will continue fighting for the prosperity of American businesses, and I hope this situation will be resolved quickly and fairly.”
The full text of the letter can be found here.
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
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