Mexican President Sheinbaum Clarifies Migration Talks with Trump

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has provided clarification regarding a discussion she held with US President-elect Donald Trump, following divergent descriptions of the call from both leaders. After their conversation on Wednesday, Mr. Trump stated that Ms. Sheinbaum had “agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border”. In response, President Sheinbaum indicated that she had simply restated Mexico’s stance, which she characterized as “not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and people”. The phone call occurred after Mr. Trump’s declaration on Monday that, once he assumes office in January, he intends to implement a universal 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada, alongside a 10% tariff on China. He specified that these import duties on Mexico and Canada would only be lifted once unauthorized immigration and illicit drug trafficking into the US ceased. President Sheinbaum’s initial reaction to this announcement involved assertive language; she had pledged earlier on Wednesday to respond in kind if the US initiated a trade conflict. “If there are US tariffs, Mexico would also raise tariffs,” she stated concerning the suggested duties, which seemingly violate the USMCA trade agreement that Mr. Trump himself negotiated in 2018 during his initial presidency, involving the US, Mexico, and Canada. Addressing reporters on Thursday, the Mexican president indicated that while tariffs were not a specific topic during her phone conversation with Mr. Trump, they did discuss immigration and fentanyl trafficking – the justifications Mr. Trump had cited for imposing the tariffs. She mentioned reassuring him that a migrant caravan he was concerned about was “not going to reach the [northern] Mexican frontier” with the US, though she emphasized that “it has never been our plan to close the border with the US”. Ms. Sheinbaum maintained that the discussion had been “very amiable” and that both parties had concurred they would “continue with our talks”. Adopting a noticeably more conciliatory stance than her initial response to Mr. Trump’s import tax announcement, she further asserted that there was now “no possibility of a tariff war” between Mexico and the US. The movement of migrants from Mexico into the US has consistently been a dominant factor in the relationship between the two neighboring countries and emerged as a pivotal subject in the 2024 White House election campaign, which concluded with Mr. Trump’s decisive win this month. Responding to US diplomatic pressure, Mexico has been implementing its most extensive migrant enforcement operation to date, transporting non-Mexican migrants by bus and plane to the southern regions of the country, distant from the US border. However, Mr. Trump’s campaign pledge included sealing the US-Mexico border, and his warning to levy 25% tariffs was perceived as an effort to compel Mexico to intensify its efforts to prevent migrants from arriving at the US southern border. Conversely, the Mexican government has requested that the US address the illicit flow of weapons being smuggled from the US into Mexico. Ms. Sheinbaum informed reporters on Thursday that she intends to discuss the matter of firearms with Mr. Trump “in due time”. Earlier this week, Mr. Trump also conversed with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. On Wednesday evening, Mr. Trudeau convened an urgent meeting with the premiers of Canada’s provinces and territories to deliberate on the potential tariff threat. A summary of that call indicated that participants were encouraged to “make use of all of their contacts, channels, and abilities to relay important information and messages to Americans and people of influence” concerning the profound economic and security connections between the US and Canada.