Donald Trump will not be taking office until January 2025 but there is already anticipation around what his administration's relationship with Mexico will look like. On the week prior to the election, the Republican warned that he would impose up to 100% tariffs on the neighboring country if recently elected Claudia Sheinbaum fails not help reduce the flow of migrants across the border to a level of his liking.
Sheinbaum, on her end, has favored caution, speaking with Trump shortly after his victory and describing the call as "a very cordial" one. Sheinbaum also looked to appease the Mexican population by saying that both governments "will continue working together in a coordinated manner, with dialogue and respect for our sovereignties, to advance the broad bilateral agenda that connects us."
Nevertheless, as worries about migration continu to mount, the Mexican government, led by newly appointed Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente, has come out to say that Sheinbaum's administration plans on maintaining a "humanitarian" approach to migration control, regardless of potential policies put forward by Donald Trump once in office, as Reuters reports.
De la Fuente underscored that Mexico's strategy, which includes containment and economic support in southern regions, has led to a 76% reduction in migrant apprehensions at the U.S. border since December 2023, with daily encounters dropping from 12,498 to 3,002 by early November. "It's working well and we're going to continue on this path."
As Reuters detailed, the crackdown followed pressure from the outgoing Biden administration and contrasts sharply with the Mexican government's stated humanitarian goals. At the same press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum chimed in on the matter:
"What we are looking for is not only the containment of migration in the south, but also that there can be employment"
Sheinbaum also explained that programs include the creation of an industrial hub in Chiapas, which aims to boost employment and improve living conditions in southern Mexico and Central America. The administration's plan also include creating an industrial zone in Chiapas and extending the Interoceanic Corridor, a rail line connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
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