Thursday, January 26, 2017

Hard Mexit

Seemingly unrelated news items --

Reuters  -- A leading contender for the Mexican presidency urged his government to lodge a lawsuit against U.S. President Donald Trump at the United Nations for the wall he plans to build on the border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants. Speaking as Trump gave orders to start work on the wall along the 2,000-mile (3,200-km) border with Mexico, two-time presidential runner-up and leftist opposition leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the announcement was an insult to his country. "I respectfully suggest that the government of Mexico presents a lawsuit at the United Nations against the U.S. government for violation of human rights and racial discrimination," Lopez Obrador told a crowd of supporters north of Mexico City.

Reuters -- Britain's plans for a "hard Brexit" could lead to customs controls along the Irish border, Sinn Fein's new leader in Northern Ireland said on Wednesday, putting the onus on the government in Dublin to limit the damage. Prime Minister Theresa May has said Britain will not remain a full member of the European Union's customs union, potentially meaning a tighter border between the British province of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. It will be Britain's only land frontier with the EU once it leaves the bloc. Asked if this would make customs controls likely along the border, Michelle O'Neill told Reuters: "Yes... That is going to be the implication if we don't have our interests looked after and the Irish government don't step up to the plate."

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