国际英语新闻:U.S. elections, impeachment may waylay free trade deal: Mexican president

MEXICO CITY, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday that the looming U.S. elections and impeachment proceedings could hold up the ratification of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

"We don't want it to be left until the eve of the elections (in November 2020). It's better to wrap it up soon. It benefits the three countries to have the treaty already approved," the president told a press conference.

Mexico became the first of the three trade partners to ratify the USMCA in June, but the Canadian and U.S. legislatures must also endorse the terms of the agreement before it takes effect.

U.S. Democratic Party leaders and Canadian legislators, he said, have shown they are in favor of the USMCA, an updated version of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement.

In Washington, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Tuesday that the House of Representatives has decided to investigate U.S. President Donald Trump for potential wrongdoing.

According to some political observers, the investigation could place other legislative matters, such as the approval of the USMCA, on the back burner.