MEXICO CITY, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday said her government is working on a plan of action to bolster security in crime-hit Michoacan state so its avocado exports to the United States can resume after they were again halted over safety concerns.
At her daily press conference at the National Palace, Sheinbaum said the strategy aims to further ensure security in certain areas of Michoacan where the National Guard had a limited presence, while simultaneously maintaining talks with U.S. authorities.
"We hope that it will resume very soon (referring to exports) and that is why we are in talks and, at the same time, strengthening security in certain areas where the Guard did not have as much of a presence," she said.
Sheinbaum said she met with avocado growers and exporters in Michoacan, the leading producer and exporter of avocados to the U.S. market, after the United States issued a security alert for the region.
At the same time, Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requested a meeting with the U.S. embassy as soon as possible to propose that inspections resume with the presence of supervisors from its national food safety service.
Sheinbaum said she was working to resolve the issue so "there won't be any significant impact ... so we can get exports back on track."
On Wednesday, the United States announced in the security alert that it had suspended its government activities in Michoacan because of a "threat" against U.S. interests, halting avocado inspections and imports. ■