The White House announced that President Donald Trump will maintain his decision to impose tariffs on Mexico, which will be announced on February 1st. This news represents a blow to the government of Claudia Sheinbaum, which has sought to comply with Trump's demands regarding migration and the fight against drug trafficking.
"We have seen a historic level of cooperation from Mexico, but again, as far as I have checked, and that was last night when I spoke directly with the President, February 1st is still on the calendar," said the White House spokesperson. Trump has made it clear that he expects cooperation from all nations in the repatriation of their citizens and in border security issues.
Sheinbaum's stance in the face of this threat is one of calm. However, the decision puts officials like Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard and Chancellor Juan Ramón De la Fuente in a complicated position. Despite the cooperation acknowledged by the White House spokesperson, President Trump's intention to impose tariffs in February is confirmed.
The president often argues that tariffs were not among the first decrees of the U.S. president and emphasizes the importance of the USMCA for the three countries, as well as the reduction in the number of irregular migrant crossings at the border.
Amid tensions caused by a disagreement between Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump over Colombia's refusal to accept a plane carrying deported migrants, which generated threats of tariffs from the U.S. president, concerns in the region are significantly increasing and CELAC has called for an urgent meeting.
Sheinbaum has informed that her government is in dialogue with U.S. authorities on the migration issue, but so far there has been no high-level rapprochement.
