Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto will bestow Mexico’s highest honor for foreigners on Jared Kushner on Friday in Buenos Aires, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN.
The Order of the Aztec is Mexico’s highest honor for foreigners and Kushner will receive it for his role in coordinating US-Mexico relations since President Donald Trump came into office, in particular his role in helping to renegotiate the NAFTA free trade agreement.
In one of his last official acts as Mexico’s President, Peña Nieto will bestow the honor on Kushner in a ceremony on the sidelines of the G20 in Buenos Aires.
The planned honor was first reported by Mexico’s Reforma newspaper.
Kushner became the White House’s point person on US-Mexico relations at the beginning of Trump’s presidency, working to maintain and improve ties between the two countries in the wake of Trump’s divisive and insulting rhetoric toward Mexico and Mexicans.
US, Mexican and Canadian officials have credited Kushner as a central force in bridging the gap between the US and its neighbors to salvage the trilateral free trade pact. Kushner leveraged close relationships with the Mexican foreign secretary, Luis Videgaray, and top advisers to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to cement the agreement.
The newly struck trade deal among the US, Canada and Mexico will be signed during this week’s G20 summit in Argentina, the top White House economic adviser said Tuesday.
Larry Kudlow said the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement would be formalized during the talks, which will bring American, Canadian and Mexican representatives to Buenos Aires.
Trump announced the completion of the deal in October after months of negotiations.
The agreement still requires Congress’ signoff.
