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A container ship arrives at the Port of Oakland, California A container ship arrives at the Port of Oakland, California  (ANSA)

Mexico and US reach temporary trade deal

Mexico agrees to send ten thousand National Guard to reinforce the border with the United States and in return US President Donald Trump will suspend the twenty-five percent tariff on its exports for thirty days, pending more developments.

By James Blears

A collective and audible sigh of relief,  following the thirty minutes telephone conversation between Presidents Sheinbaum and Trump, which has bought and afforded precious yet scant time.  Canada has similarly agreed to send ten thousand troops to its border and to appoint a “fentanyl czar” to work with the U.S. to combat drug trafficking and organized crime.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has carefully, prudently and diplomatically steered away from angry, emotional or emotive rhetoric, urging cool heads, calm and measured logic plus strategy. And this swift and timely response to the drugs and undocumented migrants issue seems to have placated President Trump for the time being. It still isn`t clear if China has time to avoid the ten percent tariff increase on its goods which is due to come into effect today. 

Part of the ongoing and developing deal with Mexico will surely involve it accepting tens of thousands of undocumented migrants already on US soil,  who Trump is determined to deport. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be visiting Mexico City to iron out more details, involving more concessions. 

The heightened tensions between the two closest neighbours of the United States will take considerably longer to dissipate. Both can be in no doubt of the hard-line intentions of Trump, which he outlined in his successful election campaign and which he`s wasted no time in putting into action. 

There is now a thirty days window,  in which to steer and veer away from a hemispheric economic recession which also directly and ominously threatens and extends to Asia and Europe.  

Listen to the report by James Blears

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04 February 2025, 12:40