Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, responded to President-elect Donald Trump’s threat of imposing tariffs on Mexican goods with a warning of potential economic consequences for both countries. She stated that Mexico has taken steps to reduce the flow of migrants to the U.S. border, leading to a significant decrease in Border Patrol encounters. She highlighted the risk to American automakers like General Motors and Ford, who rely on Mexico for cost-effective production.
She emphasized the interconnectedness of the two countries’ economies and suggested that retaliatory tariffs could harm both nations. She also noted Mexico’s efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking but emphasized that the drug issue is primarily a public health problem in the U.S., not Mexico.
Mexico has been enforcing stricter migration policies this year, sending migrants heading to the U.S. back to southern Mexico repeatedly. This approach has been attributed to the Biden-Harris administration’s establishment of a legal pathway for migrants, leading Trump to threaten its end.
Trump has a history of using tariff threats to negotiate deals for the U.S. Mexico views the drug issue as primarily a U.S. public health concern and acknowledges the challenges it faces in controlling criminal organizations trafficking drugs to the U.S.
Overall, Mexico’s president warned of potential inflation and job losses in both countries if Trump follows through on his tariff threat, highlighting the shared economic interests that could be negatively impacted.
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