Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday she had secured a further extension from her US counterpart, Donald Trump, of a tariff hike, days before a deadline for the two countries to finalize trade talks.
Trump has threatened to impose 30 percent tariffs on Mexican imports.
Thursday marks the end of the 90 days Trump stipulated for the two countries, which are part of a North American free trade agreement, to reach a deal.
Sheinbaum said in telephone talks with Trump on Saturday, the two leaders decided “we’re going to give it a few more weeks” to end talks on a range of trade barriers over which Washington has called out Mexico.
The leftist Sheinbaum, who has been nicknamed the “Trump whisperer” for her ability to dodge Trump’s tariffs blitz, told her regular morning news conference she would speak with Trump again “in a few weeks.”
Trump’s diplomatic treatment of Mexico stands in contrast to his punitive approach to northern neighbor Canada.
On Saturday, he announced he was hiking tariffs on Canadian goods by an additional 10 percent as retaliation for a Canadian anti-tariff ad that featured late US leader Ronald Reagan.
Sheinbaum, on the other hand, announced last week that her government was making “very good progress” in trade talks with Washington.
She said Monday that the trade talks focused on 54 non-tariff barriers, including restrictions on foreign companies operating in Mexico’s energy sector and regulatory hurdles in agriculture, telecommunications, and intellectual property.
Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard will travel this week to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in South Korea, which Trump is set to attend.
Mexican officials say Ebrard is expected to close some agreements with members of Trump’s administration.
Mexico is one of the countries most vulnerable to Trump’s tariffs.
It sends more than 80 percent of its exports to the United States.
The United States is pushing for an overhaul of its trade deal with Mexico and Canada, which is up for review next year.
AFP
