MEXICO CITY, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday said the decision of the United States to suspend agricultural inspections of avocados and mangoes in Mexico's western Michoacan state over security concerns was a "unilateral" move.
Speaking at his daily press conference, Lopez Obrador also suggested the move could be politically motivated given the proximity of presidential elections in the United States.
"We are already looking into an agreement, we are already seeking an agreement" to continue the inspections and the trade in those crops, he told reporters at the National Palace in Mexico City.
"There are always these unilateral measures, but those are their policies," he stressed.
The U.S. embassy in Mexico confirmed Tuesday that two U.S. Department of Agriculture employees working for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service were attacked and detained recently while inspecting avocados in Michoacan.
In response, the U.S. government decided to suspend its inspections of avocados and mangoes in the state until the security situation improves.
The measure does not affect other Mexican states that export agricultural products to the United States nor does it block products currently in transit, according to the embassy.
"The decision is based on the existing concern for the safety of personnel in Michoacan, not on phytosanitary concerns," said the president.
Mexico is the top trading partner of the United States, according to the most recent official data. ■
