Sheinbaum seeks to reach agreement on tariffs this week

Mexican PresidentClaudia Sheinbaum said on Monday, February 24, that she will seek to reach an agreement on the 25% tariffs on Mexican products and, if necessary, schedule another call with the President of the United States, Donald Trump, to discuss the matter.

"We are having these conversations that we hope will happen this week, because it is Monday (the deadline), (so) "By Friday we would need to be reaching important agreements. I would be, if necessary, looking for another phone call with President Trump, whatever it takes," he said during "La Mañanera del Pueblo" on Tuesday.

With one week to go before the end of the month-long pause on tariffs announced by the US president, the President said that her government will cooperate, but demanding respect for Mexican sovereignty, and said that it is doing its job to reduce the rates of insecurity and high-impact crimes.

The Mexican government announced the deployment of 10,000 members of the National Guard (GN) on the border with the United States on February 3 to combat drug and migrant trafficking, in exchange for a one-month pause on tariffs .

However, this weekend, Donald Trump said he was not happy with Mexico's measures.

"I put 10% tariffs on all products coming from China because they are also sending fentanyl into our country through Mexico. I'm not happy with Mexico or Canada," Trump said at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

In this regard, Sheinbaum said that a review must be conducted of where fentanyl precursors come from.

"Let's see, I ask, do the precursors enter through the United States? We don't know. I mean, why is it only said that it enters through Mexico and Canada? Why not investigate whether it enters through the United States?" the President asked.

He said his government is seeking to help the United States in the "humanitarian crisis" caused by fentanyl use and said he does not want drugs to reach the United States or anywhere else in the world.

"But we have to review all three countries (Mexico, the US and Canada). Where are the precursors coming from? Where is the manufacturing? How is it sold illegally? (…) Who sells fentanyl in the United States? Which cartels are selling fentanyl in the United States? Where is the money laundering of those resources?" he insisted.

He also said that drug use should be addressed from a public health perspective.

Sheinbaum has defended the results of her four-axis security plan: attention to the causes of violence, consolidation of the National Guard, use of intelligence against crime, and coordination between federal and state authorities.

He also boasted that Trump would "copy" his campaign against fentanyl, which, in his opinion, shows that "Mexico is a great country."

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