Following President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on all products from Mexico and Canada until the invasion of illegal migrants and drugs, particularly fentanyl, is “stopped,” Claudia Sheinbaum explained how tariffs would harm the US economy.
In her morning conference this Tuesday at the National Palace, the president indicated that Trump’s measure would mainly affect American consumers who purchase General Motors vehicles.
“By raising tariffs, the price is going to rise. Suppose General Motor says, ‘Well, I put a plant in the United States,’ the production costs in the United States are probably higher than the 20 percent tariffsthen what causes this, lack of competitiveness, compared to other economies, to other economic blocks in North America,” said Sheinbaum.
Donald Trump promised on Monday, November 25, that all Mexican and Canadian goods will be affected by a 25 percent tariff in retaliation for the flow of drugs and illegal immigration and contemplated another 10 percent tariff on chinese products until that country stops the arrival of fentanyl.
“All three of us (Canada, the United States and Mexico) know that the USMCA has been beneficial in strengthening the North American economy and particularly the benefit for our people, what we are saying today, that is, what sense does it make? Tariff with tariff, when in the end that is going to lead us to a loss of competitiveness of North America, and what we want is to complement each other,” he commented.
Regarding the migratory flow on the border between Mexico and the United States, Sheinbaum highlighted that Mexico has carried out a comprehensive policy in 2024 to serve migrants and prevent them from reaching the border with the United States.
“Perhaps President Trump does not know this, of those who arrive at the border there are much 75 percent less than those who arrived in December 2023, half of them arrive for an appointment with CBP One, they themselves are calling them to arrive in the United States (…) now the bottom of the migration as we have said and we share the vision that former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador had, which is that the causes must be addressed, which was the position that we took to the G20″, he expressed.
While in the case of fentanyl, the president pointed out that Mexico has been seizing synthetic drugs for a long time and 10,340 weapons, in addition to arresting 15,640 people for crimes related to fentanyl. drug trafficking.
Finally, Sheinbaum stated that Trump “must also be aware of illegal arms trafficking” in the United States, where the weapons come from. 70 percent of those seized in Mexico.
What did Donald Trump say about putting more tariffs on China and Mexico?
Donald Trump said he would impose a 25 percent tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10 percent tariff on goods from China, as one of his first decrees, as soon as he takes office.
Trump made the threats in a series of posts on his social media platform. Truth Socialwhere he complained about the arrival of unauthorized migrants, although crossings at the southern border have remained near their lowest level in the last four years.
“On January 20, as one of my many first decrees, I will sign all the necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25 percent tariff on all products entering the United States, and its ridiculous open borders,” he wrote, complaining that “thousands of people are crossing through Mexico and Canada, bringing crime and drugs to levels never seen before,” although violent crime has decreased from the highs recorded during the pandemic.
He said the new tariffs would remain in effect “until we stop this invasion of drugs, particularly fentanyl, and all illegal aliens into our country.”
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily resolve this long-simmering problem. We hereby demand that you use this power,” he added, “and until you do, It’s time for them to pay a very high price”.
Trump also took a swipe at China, saying he has “had many conversations with China about the huge quantities of drugs, particularly fentanyl, being shipped to the United States, but to no avail.”
“Until they stop, we will be charging China a 10 percent additional tariffon top of any additional tariffs, on all of your many products entering the United States of America,” he wrote.
The Chinese embassy in Washington warned Monday that there will be losers everywhere if there is a trade war.
* With information from AP
What are the potential long-term economic consequences of implementing tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, considering the interdependence of the North American economies under USMCA?
## Interview: Tariffs and Trade Tensions
**Host:** Welcome to World Today News. We’re joined today by two distinguished guests to discuss the potential impact of proposed tariff increases by President-elect Donald Trump on Mexico, Canada, and China.
**Guest 1:** Dr. Emily Carter, a renowned economist specializing in international trade and globalization.
**Guest 2:** Mr. Javier Rodriguez, a policy analyst focusing on North American relations and border security.
**Introduction:**
**Host:** Dr. Carter, Mr. Rodriguez, thank you for joining us. The article we’ll be discussing details President-elect Trump’s threats to impose steep tariffs. Dr. Carter, from an economic standpoint, what are the potential consequences of these tariffs, particularly the 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada?
**Section 1: Economic Fallout**
**Host:** Mr. Rodriguez, you’ve extensively studied the USMCA agreement. How do you anticipate these tariffs will affect the North American economic block, especially considering the successes achieved under the USMCA framework?
**Host:** Dr. Carter, President-elect Trump has stated that these tariffs aim to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Do you believe there is a demonstrable link between trade and these issues, and will tariffs effectively address them?
**Host:** Mr. Rodriguez, Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, argues that these tariffs will disproportionately harm American consumers, particularly those purchasing vehicles. Can you elaborate on this point and discuss the potential ripple effects across various sectors?
**Section 2: Geopolitical Implications**
**Host:** Dr. Carter, President-elect Trump’s proposal also includes a 10% tariff on Chinese goods. How might this exacerbate existing trade tensions with China and what broader geopolitical consequences could arise?
**Host:** Mr. Rodriguez, considering the interconnected nature of global trade, how might these tariff actions impact US relations with other countries, especially those with strong economic ties to Mexico and Canada?
**Section 3: Alternatives and Solutions**
**Host:** Dr. Carter, what alternative strategies could President-elect Trump pursue to address his stated concerns regarding immigration and drug trafficking without resorting to broad-based tariffs?
**Host:** Mr. Rodriguez, Mexico has announced significant efforts to address the migrant situation and combat drug trafficking at its borders. How do these efforts align with the concerns expressed by President-elect Trump, and what potential for collaboration exists?
**Conclusion:**
**Host:** Thank you both for providing such insightful perspectives on this complex issue. It’s clear that these proposed tariffs have far-reaching implications and require careful consideration. We hope this discussion sheds light on the various economic, geopolitical, and humanitarian factors at play.