Hours after US President Donald Trump imposed broad tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, citing illegal immigration and drug trafficking as major threats, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo dismissed the accusations as “slander” from the White House.
Sheinbaum rejected Trump’s repeated suggestions that the Mexican government has ties with criminal organisations. “If such an alliance exists anywhere, it is in the United States armories that sell high-powered weapons to these criminal groups, as demonstrated by the United States Department of Justice itself in January of this year,” she said in a post on ‘X’.
Mexico Blames US For Fentanyl Crisis
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticised the US government over fentanyl consumption, a powerful synthetic opioid. She said that in four months, Mexico has seized over 40 tons of drugs, including 20 million doses of fentanyl. More than 10,000 people linked to these groups have been arrested, she added.
Sheinbaum further blasted the US for failing to control drug consumption and “sale of narcotics on the streets of their main cities.”
“Drug consumption and distribution is in their country (US), and that is a public health problem that they have not addressed,” she said. She also blamed the US opioid crisis on lax regulations. “The synthetic opioid epidemic in the United States has its origin in the indiscriminate prescription of drugs of this type, authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as demonstrated by the lawsuit against a pharmaceutical company,” she stated.
The Mexican President suggested that the US launch a large-scale campaign to curb drug consumption and protect its youth, similar to efforts in Mexico.
‘Mexico Does Not Want Confrontation’
Mexican President highlighted that she does not seek confrontation but values collaboration with neighboring countries. “Mexico not only does not want fentanyl to reach the United States, but anywhere,” said President Sheinbaum. She stressed the importance of working together to combat drug trafficking and violence, but under the principles of “shared responsibility, mutual trust, collaboration, and respect for sovereignty.”
“Coordination, yes; subordination, no,” Sheinbaum added, rejecting any notion of submitting to US demands. She also pointed out that issues are solved through dialogue, not tariffs. “Problems are not resolved by imposing tariffs, but by talking and dialoguing,” she said, referencing recent discussions with the US State Department on migration.
Sheinbaum proposed creating a working group with US officials, bringing together the best public health and security teams from both countries.
Trump’s Tariff Move
US President Donald Trump has imposed a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, and a 10 percent tariff on goods from China, citing issues with illegal immigration and drug smuggling, including fentanyl.
“Today, I have implemented a 25% Tariff on Imports from Mexico and Canada (10% on Canadian Energy), and a 10% additional Tariff on China. This was done through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) because of the major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs killing our Citizens, including fentanyl. We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all. I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favour of it,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
