Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum intends to reveal her country’s “Plan B” in reaction to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to put tariffs on imported products.
Trump told reporters that he planned to talk with Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday before putting import taxes on their products. According to the White House, the president is likely to sign executive orders on Tuesday that impose 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% duties on those from China.
In a video released on social media on Sunday, Sheinbaum stated that her government is advocating for “reason and law” among “individuals as well as nations.”
‘This policy of 25% tariffs has implications for both nations, but it has extremely significant effects for the U.S. economy,” she added, “since it would boost the expense of all items shipped from Mexico to the United States by 25%.”
On Saturday evening, Trudeau replied to the proposed duties by declaring that his nation will impose 25% tariffs on 155 billion Canadian dollars, or around $107 billion, of US imports. The prime minister stated he hasn’t spoken to Trump since his inauguration.
Sheinbaum, who was elected in June, provided no information on how her government’s “Plan B” will respond to the tariffs.
She directed her economic secretary to “implement Plan B that we have been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico’s interests,” according to a statement in Spanish translated by AWN.
She also attempted to remind the White House that the present free trade agreements between the United States and Mexico had been in existence for over three decades.
“The last free trade agreement was signed by President López Obrador and President Trump himself,” according to her.
On Sunday, Trump told reporters that he was worried about the possible consequences of slapping tariffs on key trading partners, and that the American people would understand.
“We may have some short-term pain, which people understand, but in the long run, the United States has been ripped off by virtually every country in the world,” he told reporters on Sunday as he exited Air Force One at Maryland’s Joint Base Andrews.
He went on to say, “We have deficits with practically every country; not all of them, but almost. And we are going to alter it. It has been unjust. That is why we owe $36 trillion and have deficits with everyone.
Trump accused Canada of taking advantage of the United States, describing their relationship as a “one-way street.”
“They do not allow our banks. Did you know that Canada does not allow banks to enter? That’s quite incredible, he remarked. “If we have a U.S. bank, they don’t allow them to go in.”
Trump continued, “Canada has been extremely severe on oil and energy. They do not allow our farm items in. Essentially, they don’t allow many things in, but we allow everything in. It has been a one-way street.
