Obama, in Mexico, says it's time to banish mutual stereotypes While there remains a deep divide between the two countries on a host of issues, from security to energy, the remarks underscored the increasing importance of fast-growing Mexico to the slower-growing United States. "Despite the deep bonds and values we share, attitudes - in both countries - are sometimes trapped in old stereotypes," Obama said in a speech at the Anthropology Museum here. Some Americans only see the Mexico depicted in sensational headlines of violence and border crossings. Some Mexicans may think America disrespects Mexico, that we seek to impose ourselves on Mexican sovereignty. But, Obama added, "I have come to Mexico because it is time to put old mind-sets aside. It's time to recognize new realities, including the impressive progress in today's Mexico. Obama's conciliatory tone comes after he acknowledged Thursday that Mexico has a right to change its approach, under new Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, to the challenge of stopping drug and weapons trafficking over the border. Some U.S. officials have voiced concern that the new government is less inclined to provide the same deep coordination between U.S. law enforcement and Mexican agencies that has been the norm for years. In his remarks to more than 1,000 people at the Anthropology Museum, Obama emphasized that while Mexico is working to strengthen its democratic institutions and the rule of law, the United States has responsibilities, too. "We understand that the root cause of much of the violence here - and so much suffering for many Mexicans - is the demand for illegal drugs, including in the United States," Obama said. We recognize that most of the guns used to commit violence here in Mexico come from the United States. Some analysts see the U.S. approach toward Mexico as rooted in a growing recognition of Mexico's important role as a buyer of American goods and services. Although Mexico's economy slowed at the beginning of this year, the government reported earlier this week, it enjoyed robust growth of 3.9 percent last year. And it is still expected to reach 3.5 percent this year, a full 1.5 percentage points faster than the United States. That's important for the United States at a time when exports are an increasingly significant part of Obama's strategy for strengthening the U.S. economy. "U.S. exports to Mexico grew $51 billion in last two years, and that's more than anywhere else in world," said Jodi Bond, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's vice president for the Americas. Mexico is helping us with a manufacturing resurgence, and U.S. companies are growing because the Mexican middle class is growing.