The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, spoke with the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, about migration and the fight against fentanyl shortly after the Republican’s announcement to impose tariffs on Mexico as soon as he arrives at the White House
Text: Reuters/VOA
The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, said that she spoke on Wednesday with the elected president of the United States, Donald Trump, about the Mexican strategy to address the migratory waves and about strengthening security cooperation in the framework of the fight against fentanyl.
The call came after the turbulence caused by the Republican’s announcement on Monday that when he arrives at the White House on January 20, he will impose 25% tariffs on products from Mexico and Canada, if those countries do not stop the arrival of drugs and migrants. to the United States, a measure that would violate the North American trade agreement, USMCA.
«I had an excellent conversation with President Donald Trump. We addressed the Mexican strategy on the phenomenon of migration and I shared that caravans are not arriving at the northern border because they are attended to in Mexico,” the president stated in her X account.
For his part, Donald Trump said through his social networks that “it was a very productive conversation.”
In recent months, the volume of undocumented migrants arriving at the US border through Mexican territory has dropped drastically, after reaching record levels in recent years, in part due to Mexico’s containment strategy on its southern border with Guatemala.
“We also talked about strengthening collaboration on security issues within the framework of our sovereignty and the campaign we are carrying out in the country to prevent the consumption of fentanyl,” Sheinbaum added.
Fentanyl leaves tens of thousands dead every year in the United States, whose authorities have accused Mexico of not doing enough to stop illegal drug trafficking by Mexican cartels.
The US would also suffer from Trump’s tariffs
Earlier on Wednesday, Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the United States could suffer the loss of some 400,000 jobs and reduced economic growth if Trump imposed the tariffs, in addition to warning of also imposing them in reciprocity.
The official said the proposed tariffs would especially hit the auto sector’s major cross-border exporters, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, and lead to thousands of dollars in car price hikes for consumers.
Mexico is the United States’ main trading partner and its automotive industry is the country’s most important manufacturing sector, exporting predominantly to the neighboring nation. The industry accounts for nearly 25% of all North American vehicle production.
Brian Hughes, a spokesman for Trump’s transition team, argued that the tariffs would protect American manufacturers and workers from “unfair practices by foreign companies and foreign markets.”
*Read also: Claudia Sheinbaum hopes to have a good relationship with whoever wins the election in the US
Hughes said the next ruler would implement policies to make life more affordable and prosperous for his country.
Neither Ford nor Stellantis immediately responded to requests for comment. GM declined to comment.
Analysts at Barclays said they estimate the proposed 25% tariffs against Canadian and Mexican imports “could effectively wipe out all profits” for the three Detroit automakers.
“While it is generally understood that a blanket 25% tariff on any vehicle or content from Mexico or Canada could be harmful, investors underestimate how damaging this could be,” they said in a research note.
Mirror measures of Mexico that Sheinbaum took
Sheinbaum sent a letter to Trump on Monday to tell him that tariffs will not solve drug trafficking or immigration waves, and warn him that the measure will only bring similar responses from the affected governments, more inflation and fewer jobs.
Amid the fears aroused by Trump’s statements, the Mexican peso fell sharply on Tuesday to its lowest level in more than two years. On Wednesday it closed its price with a slight rise after having fallen 0.55% to 20.7390 units per dollar at the opening.
Before speaking with Trump, Sheinbaum said that she is convinced that the USMCA will prevail, although she did not rule out that Mexico would also respond with tariffs if necessary, as she anticipated on Monday.
“If there are tariffs, Mexico would also raise tariffs,” said the president. He also revealed that the Government is preparing a plan for this scenario, but reiterated that he does not think it will happen. “We do not believe that a situation of this type will arise.”
In a podcast by the Mexican Grupo Financiero Banorte broadcast on Wednesday, the bank’s Director of International Economy, Katia Goya, said that “the imposition of tariffs is very likely to be accompanied by a response in the same sense, from other countries.”
Post Views: 137
