Politics: Sheinbaum moves to address Trump’s threats to Mexico
Even before taking office, US President-elect Donald Trump’s policies toward Mexico indicate a hard-core stance that could potentially inflict considerable harm on the country’s economy. While not coming as a surprise given his past performance and the promises made to his base during the recent election campaign, Trump’s threats to impose a 25% tariff on imports of Mexican products and talk among Republican legislators and possible cabinet choices concerning scenarios of a possible US military intervention have set off alarm bells in Mexican political circles and society.
The situation is complex because Trump’s threats involve not one, but three problematic areas in the bilateral relationship between the neighboring countries. The first of these is migration, with the demand that Mexico halt the flow of both foreign and domestic migrants to the US border. Fentanyl and drug trafficking in general is the second, with Trump calling for Mexico to enact tougher measures to prevent the drug from entering the United States, as well as the need for stronger measures against domestic cartels. Finally, there is the issue of commercial relations, with claims that Mexico is engaged in a triangle trade with China, in which Chinese products are entering the United States via Mexico.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has moved rapidly to try to contain the situation, establishing telephone contact with Trump with the aim of limiting and minimizing the US threats. The new President has insisted on collaboration with Washington and maintaining a dialogue. But she has also gone on the offensive politically, explaining the contribution that Mexican migrants make to the US economy, how migration flows have lessened in recent months, and the new Mexican administration’s progress in combating the drug trade and fentanyl production. Sheinbaum has also proclaimed on repeated occasions that Mexico will not subordinate itself to any other country and that if Washington imposes tariffs on its products, her administration will respond in kind.
While Trump’s threats are popular among his followers and Republican legislators, observers point to major difficulties in actually carrying out such policies. The deportations of millions of undocumented immigrants will be difficult in the short run, and in the long run, there are questions about whether military intervention will, in fact, affect the trans-border drug trade. Furthermore, boosting and imposing punitive tariffs could wind up negatively impacting the US economy and the entire North American region.
Now read on...
Register to sample a report