Mexico Has Several Plans to Respond to Trump’s Tariffs
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Jan. 31, 2025. X/ @LibrexpresionP
January 31, 2025 Hour: 11:08 am
On Thursday, the U.S. President reiterated that he will impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada starting February 1.
On Friday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that she has “Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C” in response to the 25% tariffs on Mexican products reaffirmed by U.S. President Donald Trump. However, she insisted that she would wait for them to be finalized before detailing her response.
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“We will always maintain dialogue—it is fundamental to the relationship between Mexico and the Government of the United States. There is a dialogue table in place, and we have Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C for whatever the U.S. government decides,” Sheinbaum said.
The Mexican president promised that she is “prepared” following Trump’s statements on Thursday, in which he reiterated that he will impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada starting February 1 due to the trade deficit, fentanyl trafficking, and irregular migration, although he withheld further details.
Although Sheinbaum sent a letter to Trump on Nov. 26, warning that “one tariff will be met with another in response” and rejecting his “threats,” she now maintained that there is an ongoing dialogue and called for patience before outlining her strategy.
“We will wait, as I have always said, with a cool head, making decisions. We are prepared and will continue this dialogue,” the Mexican president stated.
The tariffs are a major concern for Mexico, as it is the United States’ largest trading partner, with exports to the Unied States at US$490 billion in 2023—nearly 30% of Mexico’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to a report by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO). However, Sheinbaum warned about the “implications that imposing tariffs could have on the U.S. economy.”
“It is very important for the Mexican people to know that we will always defend the dignity of our nation, that we will always stand up for respect for our sovereignty, and that our dialogue will be conducted as equals, as we have always said, without subordination,” she commented.
Regarding Trump’s demands on migration and security, she asserted that there is an “ongoing dialogue table with the U.S. government” in which “agreements are being made all the time” based on four core values: shared responsibility, mutual trust, collaboration, and respect for sovereignty.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
