Mexico president congratulates Biden after Electoral College victory

Andrés Manuel López Obrador told the president-elect to stay out of his country’s internal affairs and they would stand between Latin American migrants and the US border

Mexico's president has joined Russia in belatedly congratulating Joe Biden on his election victory, leaving North Korea and Brazil as the two remaining major world leaders yet to recognize Donald Trump's defeat.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent a letter of congratulations to the US president-elect saying he was waiting for the Electoral College vote before formally recognising the result, while warning the Democrat to respect Mexico's sovereignty.

"I write this letter to congratulate you on the victory given to you by the American people and affirmed by election officials," he wrote.

“We are certain that, with you as president of the United States, it will be possible to continue applying the basic principles of foreign policy contained in the (Mexican) constitution, especially non-intervention and the right to self-determination.”

 

Along with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Mexico's president was one of the final leaders to holdout in acknowledging Mr Biden as the Trump campaign mounted legal challenges to the election result.

With Mr Putin congratulating Mr Biden in a telegram offering "Russsian-American cooperation" earlier on Tuesday, North Korea's Kim Jong-un and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro remain the two world leaders yet to acknowledge the new president-elect.

All four countries had held out on recognising Mr Biden as the president-elect following the 3 November election until media projections were made official by the Electoral College vote.

While warning Mr Biden of intervening in Mexico's narcotic and corruption problems, Mr Lopez Obrador also praised the incoming president's stance on immigration.

He also suggested the country could continue working as a buffer between migrants and the United States while increasing development and improving living standards in Mexico and Central America.

“I believe that this way, nobody will be forced to leave the land of their birth, and they will be able to live, work and be happy with their family and among their people and their culture,” the letter continued.  

“In this way, we can create a definitive solution to migratory flows from and through Mexico toward the United States.”

Mr Trump is yet to concede to president-elect Biden, placing his hopes of victory on obscure legal and Constitutional challenges that have yet to deliver any significant changes to the outcome of the election.

Before, during and after the Electoral College voted in favour of Mr Biden, the president continued to tweet allegations of fraud while his campaign sent "alternate" electors in the hopes of keeping lawsuits alive.

That continued defiance kept the leaders of Mexico, Russia, Brazil and North Korea from contradicting Mr Trump, with the Kremlin announcing in November that they would wait for an "official announcement" before commenting on the election.

In his telegram, Mr Putin wished Mr Biden “every success” and expressed confidence that their two countries, despite their differences, can contribute to solving challenges facing the world.

“On my side, I am ready for cooperation and contact with you,” the Russian president’s official message on the Kremlin website read.