MEXICO CITY – Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the winner of Mexico’s presidential election over the weekend, said on Monday that he would “extend his hand” to US President Donald Trump and sought friendly relations with Washington.

“We will extend our open hand, seeking friendly and cooperative relation, with the United States,” the 64-year-old Lopez Obrador said in an interview with Televisa.

The former Mexico City mayor, of the leftist National Regeneration Movement (Morena), thanked Trump for the congratulatory message sent on Sunday night.

“Congratulations to Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on becoming the next President of Mexico. I look very much forward to working with him. There is much to be done that will benefit both the United States and Mexico!” Trump said in a Twitter post.

The message was posted less than two hours after exit polls showed Lopez Obrador as the clear winner in the election.

“He was very respectful,” Lopez Obrador said. “And that is what we will always seek in our relations with the US government, mutual respect. We will never be disrespectful to him, because we want to be respected.”

The leftist politician said his team was aware “of the need to maintain good relations with the United States” on account of issues such as the common border, close economic and trade links, and the millions of Mexicans living in the United States.

“We won’t fight, we will always seek to reach agreements” and, in due time, “we will establish cooperation to achieve mutual understanding,” Lopez Obrador said.

Asked how he would react should Trump post anti-Mexican Twitter messages, Lopez Obrador said he would not engage in social media brawls.

“We will act with sound judgment because we will represent the country,” the Mexican president-elect said.