Tariffs won't stop migrants or drugs, Mexico tells Trump

Photo: Rodrigo Oropeza Agence France-Presse Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks in Mexico City on November 20

Agence France-Presse in Mexico City

Published at 9:59 AM Updated at 10:13 AM

• Americas

The increase in customs tariffs endangers the competitiveness of North America, without stopping illegal immigration or drug consumption in the United States, responded the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, to Donald Trump.

“To one tariff, another will come in response and so on, until we endanger our common enterprises,” the left-wing president wrote to the next Republican president, who confirmed Monday his desire to “impose on Mexico and Canada a 25% tariff on ALL products entering the United States,” starting January 20, the day of his inauguration.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

“This tax will remain in effect until drugs, especially fentanyl, and all illegal immigrants stop this invasion of our country!” he added.

“For example, among the main exporters from Mexico to the United States are General Motors, Stellantis and Ford Motor Company, which arrived in Mexico 80 years ago. Why impose a tax on them that puts them in danger? ? This is not acceptable and it would cause inflation and job losses in the United States and Mexico,” the president illustrated in her letter.

“President Trump, it is not through threats or tariffs that you are going to stop the phenomenon of immigration or drug consumption in the United States,” she added, reading her letter during her daily press conference.

“I am sure that there will be an agreement with the United States and President Trump,” the president specified in response to a question.

“Increasing tariffs against Mexico, which would also mean on this side [of the border] being able to increase tariffs customs officers” would harm American companies “that work in Mexico and the United States,” she said.

“The main people affected are going to be consumers in the United States who buy General Motors vehicles,” she said.

The left-wing president defended the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, which has been “beneficial in strengthening the North American economy.”

The increase in tariffs “is going to lead to a loss of North American competitiveness,” she insisted. “We want to complement each other.”