Weekly Report - 23 April 2009 (WR-09-16)

The US President, Barack Obama, paid a brief visit to Mexico on 16 April, en route to the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad. Obama pleased the Mexican government by praising President Felipe Calderón's efforts against organised crime as “heroic", but he also made it clear that while he wanted closer US-Mexico relations, the US congress will limit what he can do. Capitol Hill ultimately has the final say on key Mexican demands, notably tighter US controls on gun sales and immigration reform.