Mexican President Dismisses Urgent Review of USMCA Treaty
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Synopsis
In a press conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that there is no urgency for a review of the USMCA as suggested by Donald Trump, emphasizing adherence to existing decrees and ongoing bilateral discussions.
Key Takeaways
- Sheinbaum asserts no need for an urgent USMCA review.
- Review can begin in 2026, per Trump’s decrees.
- Consultation process with sectors to assess agreement.
- US aims to renegotiate USMCA with tariffs.
- Formal talks on immigration and security initiated.
Mexico City, Jan 23 (NationPress) Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has stated that there is no necessity to hasten a review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) as suggested by her US counterpart Donald Trump.
During her routine press briefing at the National Palace in Mexico City late Thursday, Sheinbaum asserted that "according to the decrees signed by President Trump," a review of the agreement could commence in 2026, not earlier.
"Typically, a consultation process with business leaders, workers, and various societal sectors is initiated to evaluate the agreement's execution. Again, adhering to what is outlined in the decrees is the best strategy," she emphasized.
An article in The Wall Street Journal, referencing sources close to Trump, reported that the US President aims to renegotiate the USMCA by utilizing tariff hikes on Mexico and Canada. The main objective seems to be altering automotive regulations to encourage car manufacturing facilities to move to the United States, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
In reaction to the calls from Mexican business leaders to brace for possible tariffs, Sheinbaum indicated that "there is nothing concrete" at present, underscoring the importance of waiting for the outcome of the "dialogue already established with the US government."
On Wednesday, Sheinbaum mentioned that Mexico and the United States have initiated formal discussions regarding bilateral matters such as immigration and security.
The discussions commenced on Tuesday following a phone call from the newly-appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to his Mexican counterpart, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, according to the President.
"It was a very good, very cordial conversation. They discussed immigration and security matters," noted Sheinbaum.
Rubio's inaugural call as Secretary of State "was to Mexico," emphasized the President, "and it was a very amicable call, as informed by Foreign Minister (De la Fuente) yesterday."
In a statement released on Wednesday, Rubio outlined his department's priorities, with immigration being paramount.
Since his reelection campaign, US President Donald Trump has vowed to adopt a stringent stance on undocumented migration and drug trafficking. On his first day in office, he signed numerous executive orders that directly affect Mexico, including the termination of the CBP One Mobile Application program that allowed migrants to schedule asylum hearings with US immigration authorities without traveling to the border.
Trump also reinstated an immigration policy from his first term known as 'Remain in Mexico', which mandates that asylum seekers remain in Mexico while their cases are processed through US immigration courts.
