Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks to the media during a news conference, at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, May 21, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Romero

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - “America First is a fallacy,” Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told U.S. President Donald Trump in a letter on Thursday, responding to a White House announcement it was imposing a blanket 5% tariff on all goods from Mexico from June 10.

Lopez Obrador said he wanted to avoid confrontation with the United States, and that ideals such as justice and universal brotherhood were more important than borders.

The Mexican president also ordered his foreign minister to travel to Washington on Friday.