President Barack Obama visits Mexico and Costa Rica · Global Voices
Robert Valencia

On May 2, U.S. President Barack Obama began his trip through Mexico and Costa Rica with the intention of addressing vitally important themes for the region that include the expansion of commerce and economic and energy cooperation, as well as issues of security, immigration, government and control of illegal drug trafficking. With this visit, Obama completes his fourth visit on Mexican soil.
President Obama's visit arrives at a time when the possibility of establishing migration reform that permits the legalization of more than 11 million undocumented immigrants is still being discussed in Washington. Therefore, before beginning his visit, the president met with dozens of Hispanic leaders in the White House to discuss the cultural, familial and economic ties that the U.S. maintains with its Latin American neighbors.
President Barack Obama begins his trip through Mexico and Costa Rica. Photo from Flickr/jamesomalley (CC BY 2.0)
Many analysts agree the visit should not only concentrate on issues of security, as Obama used to do during Felipe Calderón's term, but should also address the economic growth that Mexico has experienced in that past years, the growth of the middle class and the purchasing power in the countries that he intends to visit. According to a recent article from Foreign Policy, Mexico has decreased its use of U.S. military services to capture mafia “Big Fish” such as Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman, stemming from the Mexican's impatience with the way the U.S. has approached the issue of drugs.
Some Twitter-users, like Mexican Martha Delgado (@marthadelgado) [es], expressed their expectations before Obama's visit.
@marthadelgado: Costa Rica pedirá inversión en energías limpias al presidente Obama…¿serán energías limpias tema en la visita de Obama a México?
@marthadelgado: Costa Rica will ask President Obama for investment in clean energy…will clean energy be a topic in Obama's visit to Mexico?
Angélica Fernández (@OyeAngelica) [es] does the same:
@OyeAngelica: #Latinoamerica México recibe a Obama con la esperanza de definir una nueva relación estratégica http://bit.ly/18npnwY
@OyeAngelica: #Latinoamerica [Latin America] Mexico receives Obama with the hope of defining a new strategic relation http://bit.ly/18npnwY [es]
The economy will be the primary topic, according to Blogtico.com (@blogtico) [es]:
@blogtico: Según la Casa Blanca: la visita de Obama a México y Costa Rica tendrá acento económico http://goo.gl/w2Y18  #costarica
@blogtico: According to the White House: Obama's visit to Mexico and Costa Rica will have an economic emphasis http://goo.gl/w2Y18  [es] #costarica
Others, like Razor (@hale_razor), argue that President Obama should do more for the local economy than for the economies of other countries.
@hale_razor: Obama heads to Mexico & Costa Rica in May to promote economic growth & development in Central America. He might want to try that here. #tcot
Others, like Pablo Ventoso (@blito_amargo) [es], are not optimists about Obama's trip:
@blito_amargo: Obama sobre viaje a México y Costa Rica: “Queremos asegurarnos de que nuestro hemisferio esté más integrado” Ojalá y hable del cerebral
@blito_amargo: Obama on his visit to Mexico and Costa Rica: “We want to make sure that our hemisphere is more integrated.” I hope he is referring to the cerebral [hemisphere]
María Hilaria Max (@mariamasherrera) [es] affirms that the delicate topic of Venezuela will also be discussed during the trip:
@mariamasherrera: Obama espera abordar el tema de la situación política de Venezuela en su gira por Latinoamérica http://www.noticias24.com/venezuela/noti… vía @noticias24
@mariamasherrera: Obama hopes to address the political situation in Venezuela during his trip through Latin America http://www.noticias24.com/venezuela/noti… [es] from @noticias24 [news24]
Desiree Rivas (@DesireeRivasRui) [es] disagrees about the possibility that Venezuela will be a topic of discussion:
@DesireeRivasRui: Quien le dijo a Obama q aborde el tema de Venezuela en su gira por latinoamérica? Ojalá nuestros hermanos no c presten para este tema interno
@DesireeRivasRui: Who told Obama to address the topic of Venezuela in his trip through Latin America? Hopefully our brothers don't lend to this internal issue.
Vanessa Ortiz (@VanessaOrtiz) [es] affirms that Obama's visit will only create arguments:
@VanessaOrtiz: @FGM91 @MexicanoHoy Esa visita de OBAMA por la Latinoamerica me trae sospecha, de seguro para crear conflicto contra MADURO.
@VanessaOrtiz: @FGM91 @MexicanoHoy [Mexican Today] Obama's visit through Latin American makes me suspicious and will surely create conflict against Maduro [Venezuelan President].
Meanwhile, other Twitter users, like Politico Incorrecto [Incorrect Politics] (@El_incorrecto_) [es], come to Obama's defense:
@El_incorrecto_: Que fácil es echarle la culpa a Obama de todo los males de Latinoamérica. Que difícil es asumir responsabilidades y trabajar.
@El_incorrecto_: How easy it is to throw the blame on Obama for all the problems in Latin America. How difficult it is to assume responsibility and work.