MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico declared on Friday that she will maintain a composed demeanor as she awaits a decision from the United States, with a looming Saturday deadline initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. “We will always uphold the dignity of our people, respect our sovereignty, and engage in dialogue as equals without subordination,” she affirmed. “We will exercise patience, as I have consistently stated, in making decisions. We are well-prepared and committed to continuing this dialogue.”
Mexico and the United States are each other’s principal trading partners, with their economies becoming increasingly interdependent since the establishment of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the early 1990s and its subsequent iteration, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which Trump negotiated during his previous term.
Nonetheless, Trump has vowed to impose retaliatory tariffs by Saturday unless Canada and Mexico take more substantial measures to combat the influx of illegal immigrants, as well as the distribution of the lethal opioid fentanyl and precursor chemicals, into the United States.
Mexico’s government has expressed opposition to this proposition, citing its potential adverse effects on both Mexico and the United States, resulting in increased prices for various goods essential to American households, including meat, fruits, vegetables, automobiles, household appliances, and medical devices.
Furthermore, the United States is pondering an additional 10% tariff on imports from China, its third-largest trading partner following Canada. “Collaboration is key,” emphasized Sheinbaum, stressing that her administration is collaborating closely with the private sector to effectively address U.S. policies, such as Mexico’s reception of both Mexican and foreign migrants deported from the United States.
(Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez and Raul Cortes; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Kylie Madry and Mark Porter)
