Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum sharply defended her country’s cultural and economic contributions after President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on imports from both Mexico and Canada, citing concerns over migration and drug trafficking.
In response to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Sheinbaum told the Associated Press that Mexico “must be respected, especially by its trading partners.” She further remarked, “Canada could only wish they had the cultural riches Mexico has,” taking a jab at Trudeau following his discussion with Trump about Canada’s comparatively smaller border concerns.
During the meeting, Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to Washington, stated that Trudeau emphasized the differences between the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico borders. “The message that our border is so vastly different than the Mexican border was really understood,” Hillman told reporters.
Sheinbaum countered by highlighting Mexico’s significant challenges and cooperation in addressing cross-border issues. She acknowledged the country’s focus on intelligence-sharing efforts to combat drug trafficking, which she claimed Trump supported during their recent conversation.
Customs data underscores the stark contrast in border activity: in the last fiscal year, U.S. agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border compared to a staggering 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Similarly, U.S. Border Patrol reported over 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border, far surpassing the 23,721 arrests recorded at the Canadian border during the same period.
Trump, however, remains firm on his plan to impose tariffs. Last week, he wrote on Truth Social, “On January 20th, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% tariff on ALL products coming into the United States… until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
Despite the escalating rhetoric, Sheinbaum indicated a willingness to collaborate with the U.S. on targeted anti-drug strategies, emphasizing shared intelligence as the key to combating fentanyl trafficking. Meanwhile, Trudeau continues to advocate for Canada’s unique position, expressing concerns about the economic impact of the proposed tariff during his Florida meeting with Trump.
The brewing trade and border tensions have highlighted the differing approaches of North America’s leaders as they grapple with pressing cross-border issues ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
