Mexico May Send Troops to Guatemalan Border to Avoid US Tariffs

Up to 6,000 members of Mexico's national guard may be sent to "protect" its southern border in order to quell the flow of Guatemalan migrants, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Wednesday as bilateral talks with the United States (U.S.) government continue, according to the Washington Post.

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As one of the newest developments in trade and migration talks with the U.S., Mexico has offered to send its militia to the shared border with Guatemala in an effort to avert U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to impose import tariffs related to the growing number of migrants that cross Mexico en route to the U.S-Mexico border.

During the talks, the U.S. proposed deporting undocumented Guatemalan migrants to Mexico as part of a deal, but there has been no agreement on this point, according to a Mexican source familiar with the process.

"The [Guatemalan] government did not come up with anything positive for migrants in three and a half years in power. That now the only idea that goes through their mind is this kind of measure to request support from another government to prevent migrants from leaving is deplorable," Guatemalan Human Rights Ombudsman Jordan Rodas told Al Jazeera.

Trump wants Mexico to halt the flow of migration, mainly originating from Central America, threatening with five percent tariffs an all Mexican goods. If the Latin American country continues to not comply, tariffs will gradually rise to 25 percent.

These measures would cause major damage to Mexico’s economy, as about 80 percent of its exports are directed to the U.S.

"I have confidence that these unilateral measures will not be applied as of Monday," Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday calling for a "unity demonstration" to be held in Tijuana on Saturday. The objective is to "defend Mexico's dignity and in favor of friendly relations with the people of the U.S."