MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s economic system minister rebuked america forward of a North American leaders summit for pursuing what she described as protectionist insurance policies that had been liable to backfire and spur immigration.

Economic system Minister Tatiana Clouthier, who will attend the gathering of the leaders of Mexico, america and Canada in Washington on Thursday, mentioned she had by no means anticipated america to develop into so closed economically.

“The way in which I’ve seen them shut themselves, they’ve closed themselves off and guarded themselves, it is incomprehensible from my perspective,” she instructed web site Codigo Magenta in an interview broadcast on Tuesday.

“And this enterprise of them apparently not wanting migration coming their method, they’re inflicting it by closing themselves off. And in the event that they stick with it, they’re going to trigger extra of it,” she added, noting protectionist measures undermined Mexico’s labor market.

Detentions of unlawful immigrants on the U.S.-Mexico border have surged this 12 months, piling strain on U.S. President Joe Biden to curb the stream of individuals and tighten the frontier.

Clouthier is a part of the delegation touring with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for his Thursday conferences with Biden and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

She mentioned a dispute with Washington over the interpretation of regional content material guidelines for the auto business beneath a North American commerce pact was “actually hurting” Mexico.

Quite than pushing a “Purchase American” agenda, america ought to concentrate on “Purchase North American,” she argued.

“Why? As a result of we’re a area. And President Lopez Obrador has mentioned it to Biden, he is mentioned it to Kamala,” she added, referring to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.

“He is mentioned if we do not see ourselves as a area, we can’t have the ability to take care of the challenges we now have on the planet.”