WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken held his crucial first bilateral meetings with Mexico and Canada since taking the post. Both meetings Friday were billed as “trips” though they were held virtually because of the pandemic. It was part of President Joe Biden’s effort to start a new chapter in North American relations, which were strained at times under his predecessor, President Donald Trump. They were expected to discuss economic issues as well as efforts to address COVID-19 along their shared borders, which have been closed to all but essential traffic since the start of the pandemic.
