Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday suggested the US government could offer temporary work visas and eventually citizenship to those who take part in a vast tree planting program he hopes to expand to Central America.
In remarks at the White House virtual climate summit, Lopez Obrador said that Mexico aimed to expand his administration's signature "Sembrando Vida", or "Sowing Life", program to Central America, which he said is planting 700,000 trees.
Calling it "possibly the largest reforestation effort in the world", Lopez Obrador said the program aims to create 1.2 million jobs and plant an additional 3 billion trees through expansion into southeastern Mexico and Central America.
Lopez Obrador said US President Joe Biden "could finance" the program's extension to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
"I add a complementary proposal, with all due respect, the U.S. government could offer those who participate in this program that after sowing their lands for three consecutive years, they would have the possibility to obtain a temporary work visa", Lopez Obrador said.
