Mexican president calls building of new wall on U.S. border "step backward"

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Thursday called the U.S. authorization to build a new border wall and other barriers in south Texas a "setback" in U.S. immigration policy.

"This authorization for the construction of the wall is a step backward, because it does not solve the (immigration) problem. The causes must be addressed," Lopez Obrador said during his daily press conference.

"I understand that there is great pressure from extreme right-wing political groups in the United States, especially those who want to take advantage of the migratory phenomenon and drug consumption for electoral purposes," he said.

Lopez Obrador emphasized that Mexico "is open to dealing with conflicts and controversies through dialogue, without the use of force or coercive measures."

The president's criticism of the U.S. decision came minutes before the annual U.S.-Mexico high-level security dialogue began, with migration and drug trafficking being central topics.

A notice published Wednesday in the U.S. Federal Register announced the construction of a new border wall and other barriers in south Texas to counteract the "high illegal entry" of migrants.

"There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in the project areas," U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a notice.