Eduardo Verástegui has just learned of his appointment as an official member of the Council on September 15. "How symbolic," says the Mexican actor and film producer, although he reveals that he had already been invited informally since July 9 to advise President Donald Trump and be part of the "Hispanic Prosperity" initiative, a U.S. Government effort to seek better working, economic and educational conditions for the Hispanic community.

"We went into the kitchen, as we say in my house. Well, we are going to cook something delicious for our Hispanic community, from the inside," adds Eduardo Verástegui. He defines his role as "to look for efficient proposals that can be executed immediately, and not to see results by next year, but to see results immediately".

In an exclusive conversation with LPO, Verástegui Córdoba shared his analysis of the U.S. presidential election, where, in his opinion, the value that the Hispanic community will prioritize when voting will be the "defense of life," because "everything revolves around the most important human right, the right to be born". This was a few weeks before the election and in the midst of the presentation of his latest film, Sound of Freedom, which was attended by Mexican Secretary of the Interior Olga Sánchez Cordero and U.S. Ambassador Christopher Landau.

What is the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative, for which you were appointed as an advisor to President Donald Trump?

I never imagined that after 16 years of working on behalf of the Hispanic community in the U.S. through art, film and television, I would be called by the White House and invited to participate as an advisor in this initiative, where we seek to advance the interests of Hispanics in the U.S. But not only from the artistic front but now with a greater opportunity for a greater impact; where we will be able to improve not only access to credit, better access to education, better schools, better economic opportunities. We will be given the opportunity to bring new, fresh, unique proposals to the table.

Next week I have a meeting, the board of directors, with several advisors to begin - immediately - to put forward new proposals, which I am sure will raise the interests of the Hispanic community in the U.S. As you know, the success of Hispanics in the U.S. - most of us are Mexican - is not only the success of the U.S., it is the success of Mexico and Latin America.

Why is that?

Because where a Hispanic lives in the U.S., there is an origin, and you can't cut off that origin. A Mexican living in the U.S. does not cut his roots from Mexico. So, they are connected forever. That's why my motto is: let's stop being just neighbors and be brothers. Let's be one family. Let's raise the bar for both countries. As the Americans say, let it be a win-win. Let's stop fighting, let's stop abusing each other, speaking ill of each other. Let's minimize all the bad things we've done to each other... That also, we have done bad things to each other. Yes, we have harmed each other, both Mexico to the U.S. and the U.S. to Mexico. What happens is that sometimes we hear from only one place. But no, we have both slapped each other.

Did you already know President Trump?

Yes, because of the Dreamers. I had the opportunity to be an advocate in Washington with a group of people, visiting Congress, talking with several congressmen, talking with governors, talking with many people to put pressure. Knowing that obviously it is not in the hands of the president to solve this problem, it is in the hands of Congress, but he can put a lot of pressure on it.

That's where I first met him. I gave him a letter, asking him to put the necessary pressure on Congress as president, and give permanent status to our Hispanic brothers, called Dreamers.

I never imagined that after several events in which I was invited to the White House I always had a theme... Every time I arrived, I arrived with a new letter. "And here comes Eduardo with another letter," right? I gave a letter to the vice president [Mike Pence], I gave two letters to the president. And later on that's when they start talking to me about this new initiative. "Hey, Eduardo, you have been advocating, and you coming here to the White House and bringing your well-chosen causes, I think you would be an important spokesperson for this new initiative".

Serving the Hispanic community seems to be a very positive thing at this time, after some people claim that there is no chemistry between President Trump and Latinos in the U.S.

I understand that it creates conflict when you are suddenly invited [this White House]. Some might even think it is contradictory. I think it's the other way around: the contradictory thing would be not to go.

As a Mexican, how could I not want to [participate], if I have dreamed for 16 years of having the opportunity to make a big impact on my community. Imagine being able to restore, being able to heal, being able to gradually change the tone.

Is there going to be a budget allocated to the Hispanic Prosperity Initiative?

There will be a budget obviously. I don't know the details. Just at the next meeting those are the questions we're going to ask. But here the most important thing is over: we are in. Already from the inside you can achieve miracles, and miracles, and miracles.

I'm sure Trump is going to win the election. The majority of Hispanics in the U.S. are Catholic, Christian people. So, if Hispanics really vote with their values, vote for the defense of the unborn, there is only one candidate, which is Donald Trump.

What do you think of the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Christopher Landau?

A great guy! Come on, he's top-notch. I joke with him, I tell him: "you seem more like an ambassador of Mexico than of the United States". Because the work he is doing, representing not only the US in Mexico, but representing us very well as ambassador to Mexico for everything he posts on his social media.

On the occasion of this initiative, I imagine that you will collaborate with him...

In many things. We've been talking a lot. He is a very good friend. He is a brother. We were even in the Basilica of Guadalupe together. And in front of the Virgin of Guadalupe I said, "Ambassador, let's stop being just neighbors and be brothers, let's be one family".

Do you think President Trump has a chance of being re-elected?

I am sure he will win for many reasons. Look, there are more than 60 million Hispanics here in the U.S., mostly Mexicans. The Latino vote, the Mexican vote, is very important. And it's going to become more important.

So, even though we're from different countries - many people say, "it's just that Mexicans are different from Salvadorans and Peruvians and Argentines and Dominicans, they have nothing to do with each other". But there are other things that unite us, like language, like our values and our faith.

The majority of Hispanics in the U.S., the great majority, is a Catholic population, a Christian population. That's a reality, you can't erase it, that's what it is. So, if the Mexican, the Hispanic, really votes with their values, votes with the most important, transcendental value, which is the defense of the unborn, there is only one candidate: Donald Trump, a pro-life leader, not because of what he says but because of his actions. What he has done, dismantling Planned Parenthood, which thanks to his actions no longer receives federal funds. Dismantling pro-choice organizations in Latin America, he is just saving Hispanic babies, Mexican babies. Twenty percent of the babies that are aborted in the U.S. are of Hispanic mothers. How many babies have he already saved indirectly because of his policies?

So, if the majority of the Hispanic population in the U.S. is really pro-life, there is only one option. Because the other option supports abortion at nine months...

Joe Biden.

And this is not a matter of faith alone, because defending life (human life, that of the unborn), you can also defend it with legal arguments, with scientific arguments, with humanistic arguments, philosophical arguments, and also spiritual ones obviously. I put all the arguments together and that is what motivates me to defend life. And that's why I'm supporting President Donald Trump, for his leadership in favor of life in the United States and in the whole world.

Two pro-life judges have been nominated this term and there is a seat open right now. And that's obviously generating controversy, because they're saying that it's an election year, that he shouldn't nominate anyone, and that the next president should do it. But the same people who are saying that it is an election year and that no one should be nominated are the same people who impeached him, in an election year as well. Ah, so you can impeach the president in an election year, but the president can't nominate a justice (because she's going to be a woman, you said that). And if that's accomplished, imagine, in single a term he nominated three justices, that's something awesome!

What does that mean?

It means that the U.S. abortion law could be repealed. The most important Supreme Court in the world overturning the abortion law, imagine the impact on the culture of life in the U.S. and around the world!

So, what if you're a Christian, if you're Catholic, if you're pro-life and you vote for Biden? Well, your hands will be full of blood, innocent people, innocent babies. That's a reality. "There are other important things too. Of course, yes, there are many important things. You're not going to find someone who's perfect in everything. That's impossible, because not even you, how many times do you change your mind!

You would be in conflict with yourself. So, if you want someone perfect, then God should come to rule here on earth, and he did two thousand years ago and look how it went.

How do you see the approval of abortion in some states of Mexico and the emergence of a movement that promotes it (the green scarf)?

Obviously there are many things that need to be improved. On the issue of abortion, it's only legal in Mexico City, because not even in Oaxaca. In Oaxaca they did a fraud there, it was unconstitutional. They couldn't modify the Constitution in the local Congress and they modified the Penal Code. And that is wrong. They are working in the dark, there is corruption, and they put bribes in there for the deputies, for the female deputies. And some are very honest and others are not. Like everything in life, there are good people and bad people everywhere.

What if you're a Christian, if you're Catholic, if you're pro-life and you vote for Joe Biden? Then your hands will be full of blood, of innocent people, of innocent babies.

Mexico is still a pro-life country. Even if some groups demonstrate and whatever you want, Mexico is still pro-life. And the great majority, according to the latest poll by El Financiero and many other polls, more than 85% of the Mexican people are pro-life, pro-family, pro-god, pro-freedom of religion. It is still a nation with many values. That they are under attack? Yes, they are. That is why we are here: to defend what is good, beautiful and true.

Lastly, what is your analysis of the demonstrations and the sit-in in Mexico City by the National Anti-Andrés Manuel López Obrador Front, which uses religious images and even prayers as a protest?

Look, my brother, I support any demonstration. As long as it's peaceful, every Mexican - and in the whole world - has the right to demonstrate. It's something normal, whoever does it, as long as it's peaceful, it's okay. And everyone has the right to pray. So there's no way they can't pray. Everyone prays.

Prayer is a good thing. And I don't pray for one to win or for the other to win, I don't put politics into prayer. But what I do do is that once the winner has won, we pray for him. Every day I pray for the president of Mexico, because I want my country to do well. And if he does things right, then it will be good for all of us. And tomorrow the president who wins, I will pray for that president too. Now, if you don't like the president, well, you can demonstrate peacefully and vote differently next time. That's fine. But once whoever wins... Every day I pray for all the governors of Mexico. For the president of Mexico, for the legislators of Mexico, that they do good.