President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico kept her silence overnight. But on Tuesday morning, she kicked off her daily news conference with a sharply-worded statement in which she said her government rejected President Donald Trump’s characterization of Mexico, and she roundly criticized the 25 percent tariffs that he imposed on it hours earlier.
Ms. Sheinbaum said Mexican officials had a call with Mr. Trump scheduled for Thursday, and that if the tariffs remained in effect, Mexico would announce countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs, on Sunday.
“We don’t want to enter into a trade war,” she said. “That only affects the people.”
After ticking off a list of Mexico’s recent successes in cracking down on drug trafficking and more — as Mr. Trump asked Mexico’s government to do to avert tariffs — Ms. Sheinbaum rejected what she called the “fentanyl argument” invoked by Mr. Trump to justify the imposition of the tariffs.
“For humanitarian reasons,” her statement said, “we cooperate to prevent the illegal trafficking of drugs into the United States. However, as we have stated on many occasions, the government of that country must also take responsibility for the opioid crisis that has caused so many deaths in the United States.”
Her statement addressed what she said were her government’s actions in the areas that Mr. Trump said he wanted to see changes in, specifically the seizure of drugs and arms and the extradition to the United States of close to three dozen cartel leaders, which she said had been “recently transferred to the United States for the benefit of both countries’ security.”
“We are emphatic,” Ms. Sheinbaum said. “There is no reason, justification, or excuse that supports this decision that will affect our people and nations. We have said it in various ways: cooperation and coordination, yes; subordination and interventionism, no. Mexico deserves respect.”
She ended by urging her country to show unity in the face of the crisis. “I call upon the people of Mexico, all of you, to face this challenge together, to stay united,” Ms. Sheinbaum said. “I reiterate: it is time to defend Mexico and its sovereignty. We must stay alert and calm. Cool heads.”
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