“Each customs barrier will be replicated by another customs barrier, to the point that we will endanger businesses that we have in common. In common, yes. Thus, among the main exporters from Mexico to the United States are General Motors, Stellantis and Ford. [Motors Company]present on Mexican territory for 80 years. Why impose a tax on them that will put them in danger?”
Claudia Sheinbaum
President of Mexico
Monday, November 25, Donald Trump reaffirmed on his Truth Social network his desire to increase customs duties on products imported into the United States, suggesting that those applied to products from Mexico and Canada could amount to 25 %. The billionaire notably invoked the imperatives of the fight against drugs and illegal immigration to justify these measures. But the Mexican president does not seem willing to bow to the Republican's threats.
In an open letter addressed to Trump, and taken up by the newspaper The Universal, Claudia Sheinbaum was firm but receptive to the dialogue. She particularly highlighted the repercussions that the increase in customs tariffs would have on employment and inflation, as well as on the American automobile industry based in Mexico. “This measure is unacceptable and will undoubtedly cause inflation and job destruction, both in the United States and in Mexico,” she writes.
According to The New York Times, the measures announced by Trump would constitute a “regular violation” of the T-MEC free trade treaty, which unites Canada, the United States and Mexico. Entered into force in 2020, this treaty contains terms negotiated during the Republican's first term. Claudia Sheinbaum hopes to defend this text, described as “beneficial for strengthening the North American economy”.
American weapons kill in Mexico
In the background, The Universal points to the possible resumption of the United States' trade war with China. Trump also announced an increase in customs taxes of 10% – in addition to those already existing – on “all the many products arriving from China to the United States”. The title recalls that the United States is by far the largest buyers of Chinese products, with 450 billion dollars in imports per year, compared to 100 for Mexico and 66 for Canada.
Concerning the threat to the security of Americans, the Mexican president recalled that if drug trafficking on the American-Mexico border is a reality, the weapons which equip the cartels come mostly from the American side. “We are not the ones producing weapons and we are not the consumers of synthetic drugs. But the deaths caused by delinquency to meet the demand for drugs in your country, unfortunately, do take place here.”
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