Mexico rejects new border wall plan of US: 'We believe in bridges, not in walls'

Mexico rejected US plans to build new sections of wall at the US-Mexico border as top officials from both countries met in the Mexican capital to discuss immigration and security, Report informs, citing Reuters.

Before sitting down with US officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the latest wall plan as a "step backwards".

Amid an increase in the number of people crossing into the US from Mexico, the United States said it would build additional sections of border wall in Starr County, Texas, carrying forward a signature policy of the Trump administration.

At the talks, officials pledged to step up cooperation to combat drug trafficking, organized crime and to ease migratory pressures on the border. Afterwards, Mexico's Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena underlined Mexico's opposition to the wall.

"We believe in bridges, not in walls," she said, speaking at a press conference alongside Blinken and Mayorkas.

Lopez Obrador has praised US President Joe Biden for not building more border wall during his administration. The barrier was a major bone of contention between the United States and Mexico during Donald Trump's presidency.

The US government said Thursday's action did not deviate from Biden's opposition to the wall because money that was allocated during Trump's term in 2019 had to be spent now.

Barcena indicated the US funds would not necessarily be used for erecting walls.

"I understand it's not going to be via walls, it'll be via technologies, it'll be via other kinds of installations," she said. "I think this is what Secretary Mayorkas was kind enough to explain to us, because obviously we expressed our concern."

The US delegation had explained the budget situation and that the measures did not represent a new policy, she said.