Italy–Mexico relations

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Italy-Mexico relations
Map indicating locations of Italy and Mexico

Italy

Mexico

Italy–Mexico relations refers to the diplomatic relations between Italy and Mexico. Both nations are members of the G-20 major economies, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations.

History

The first contact between Italy and Mexico was in 1869, just before the end of Italian unification in 1870; when Italy expressed its desire to open a consulate in Mexico. A consulate was opened in Mexico in December 1872, however, diplomatic relations between the two nations were not established until 15 December 1874.[1] In 1875, Mexico opened a diplomatic office in Rome.[1]

During World War I, Mexico remained neutral because it was involved in its own revolution during the same time and closed its diplomatic office in Rome. It re-opened its diplomatic office in 1922.[1] In the 1930s, diplomatic relations between the two nations began to deteriorate when Prime Minister Benito Mussolini invaded and annexed Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War in 1935-1936. Mexico was one of the few countries to vehemently oppose the occupation of Abyssinia by Italian forces.[2] On 22 May 1942, Mexico declared war on the axis powers due to German u-boat attacks on two Mexican oil tankers in the Gulf of Mexico that same year. Diplomatic relations were re-established on 1 June 1946.[1]

State visits

Former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on an official visit to Mexico in January 2014

Prime Ministerial and Presidential visits from Italy to Mexico[3][4][5][6][7]

Presidential visits from Mexico to Italy[8]

Trade

There have been several official visits by presidents of both nations to each other's countries respectively. In 1997, Mexico signed a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union (which includes Italy). In 2014, two-way trade between both nations amounted to $6.9 billion USD.[9] Among the products that Mexico exports to Italy are: automobiles and petroleum based products. Italy exports mainly steel products to Mexico. Today, Italy is Mexico's ninth biggest trading partner in the world (third in Europe after Germany and Spain). Mexico is Italy's second biggest trading partner in Latin-America (after Brazil).[10]

Resident diplomatic missions

File:Embassy of Mexico in Rome2.JPG
Embassy of Mexico in Rome

See also

References