On June 17, the U.S. government announced a temporary suspension of Mexican avocado imports from Michoacán due to an incident involving U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors during a blockade.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed on Monday his hope that the conflict with the United States, stemming from a security incident involving two U.S. inspectors that led to the suspension of avocado and mango imports from Mexico, will be resolved during the day.
López Obrador noted that the export of both products to the United States is already in the process of normalization and that progress has been made in the negotiations for avocado exports.
The president indicated that the visit of the U.S. ambassador, Ken Salazar, to Michoacán on Monday, June 24, will be key to resolving the matter.
He explained that the incident occurred during a protest by police in Michoacán, who blocked the passage of the U.S. inspectors, leading to a verbal confrontation and prompting the U.S. government to halt exports.
López Obrador stated that he asked the U.S. government not to act unilaterally, highlighting the good bilateral relations and the possibility of resolving the conflict through dialogue.
The governor of Michoacán, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, announced in a Facebook video the resumption of avocado and mango exports to the United States after a week of negotiations and the implementation of a new certification protocol.
Ramírez Bedolla also mentioned that, during the U.S. ambassador’s visit, an environmental certification will be sought to prevent land use changes and ensure that only certified avocados are exported. Additionally, labor and security issues will be addressed.
