Claudia Sheinbaum said the Mexican government is continuing negotiations regarding the 30% tariff anticipated from the Donald Trump administration.
On the 13th (local time), according to a transcript of the president’s speech provided by the Mexican presidential office, President Sheinbaum said at the opening ceremony of a public hospital in Guaymas, Sonora, the day before, “President Trump sent tariff letters to major countries around the world and announced a 30% tariff on Mexico. The letter clearly states that it seeks a consensus.”
President Sheinbaum noted, “I have always mentioned that calm judgment is necessary in such cases,” and added, “In this case as well, I am confident that we will reach an agreement through negotiations by clearly conveying what we can collaborate on with the U.S. government and what we cannot.” Earlier, on the 11th, the Mexican government reportedly expedited discussions with the counterparts from the U.S. Department of State, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, and Trade Representative’s office through delegations from the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Security, and Ministry of Energy.
President Sheinbaum is evaluated as a figure with strong leftist nationalist tendencies. She stated, “Sovereignty violations are absolutely unacceptable,” indicating a possibility of retaliatory tariffs in response to the U.S. government’s tariff threats while maintaining a pragmatic stance that minimizes the shock by accommodating some U.S. demands.
According to a report from the local Mexican broadcaster Enemass (N+), the Mexican government is expected to enhance security measures in the northern border areas. This appears to follow the contents of Trump’s letter, which stated, “If we succeed in combating the cartel that brings drugs into the U.S. and in blocking the flow of fentanyl, tariffs could be adjusted.”
Some analysts suggest that Trump’s tariff letter toward Mexico and Canada may differ in nature from letters sent to other countries. They believe it is largely aimed at gaining an advantageous position during discussions regarding the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) implementation, which is expected to begin in the latter half of this year.
Jorge Molina, who was a member of the Mexican negotiating team for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), stated through the local daily El Universal, “This serves as a warning that could lead to the breakdown of negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement among the three countries,” adding, “The U.S. considers the efforts made by Mexico and Canada to control drug trafficking as ‘null’, and even if the new demands from the U.S. are met immediately, threats may begin again.”