Mexican Foreign Minister Velasco to meet U.S. Secretary of State Rubio in Washington

Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco announced he would meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington D.C. on Wednesday. The meeting is set to address key priorities on the bilateral agenda between Mexico and the United States. Velasco arrived in Washington following a two-day trip to Seoul, South Korea, where he engaged in productive discussions.

During his time in South Korea, Velasco worked with the South Korean government to prepare the 2026-2030 Action Plan, which is expected to be signed when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum meets with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Mexico City in September. Velasco also met with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, agreeing to enhance bilateral cooperation in education and culture. Proposals included establishing a Mexico-Korea scholarship program and a Korean Culture Center in Mexico, alongside a joint initiative with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) for specialized educational programs in engineering, technology, and semiconductors.

The meeting with Rubio comes at a sensitive time, as the U.S. government is pressuring Mexico to extradite 10 officials and former officials accused by U.S. justice of ties to the "Los Chapitos" faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. President Sheinbaum has maintained that proof is required against the accused officials, including the governor of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya. Another accused individual, Gerardo Mérida Sánchez, former Secretary of Security of Sinaloa, surrendered to U.S. authorities in May and was recently released from Bureau of Prisons custody, potentially indicating a cooperation agreement.