Mexico’s president clarifies her stance after Trump says she agrees to an “effective” closure of the southern border
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Mexico’s president clarifies her stance after Trump says she agrees to an “effective” closure of the southern border

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

Topline

President-elect Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had agreed to block immigrants from reaching the U.S. southern border through Mexico – signaling he had scored a major diplomatic and political victory in a phone call with the Mexican leader – although Sheinbaum later clarified that her country’s position was not to close borders.

Important facts

In a post on his Truth Social platform Wednesday night, Trump said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Sheinbaum in which she agreed to “halt migration through Mexico and into the United States, effectively closing our southern border.” “.

In a follow-up post, Trump wrote that Mexico had agreed to stop people from reaching the U.S. southern border “effective immediately,” adding: “This will go a long way toward stopping the illegal invasion of the United States.”

The president-elect said he and Sheinbaum also discussed what more could be done to “stop the massive flow of drugs into the United States,” which earlier this week he accused Mexico of enabling while promising To impose tariffs of 25% on all imports from the United States country.

Shortly after the phone call, Sheinbaum gave up being cared for in Mexico.”

In a follow-up tweet to Trump’s posts, the Mexican president said she explained to Trump her country’s “comprehensive strategy” to address the migration problem while “respecting human rights.”

However, Sheinbaum noted that “Mexico’s position is not to close borders, but to build bridges between governments and between peoples.”

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Important background

Suppressing the entry of immigrants from the southern border was one of Trump’s key campaign promises, along with “mass deportations” of undocumented people already in the United States. In a post on Truth Social earlier this week, Trump said he would impose 25% tariffs on all products from Mexico and Canada as one of his first executive orders. In his post, Trump claimed: “A caravan from Mexico consisting of thousands of people appears unstoppable as it makes its way through our currently open border.” Trump said the tariffs would remain in effect “until drugs, particularly fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country!”

tangent

Responding to Trump’s threat, Sheinbaum warned Tuesday that Mexico was prepared to retaliate, but warned that a trade war would worsen economic conditions in both countries. In a press conference, the Mexican leader read a letter she wrote to Trump that said: “In response, one tariff follows another and so on until we endanger our common businesses… What’s the point of that?” Sheinbaum also pointed out indicated that American automakers with plants in Mexico – including General Motors and Ford – will be particularly hard hit.

Further reading

Trump promises new tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada after taking office (Forbes)

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