Mexico responds to Trump: "unfair treatment"; negotiations to avoid tariffs

President Claudia Sheinbaum has confirmed the start of high-level negotiations with the United States to defuse the threat of a 30% tariff, described by the Foreign Ministry as an "unfair measure." The economic pressure coincides with key revelations in the Ovidio Guzmán case, creating a complex scenario for Mexico.

The Mexican government has activated its diplomatic machinery in a race against time to avoid what could be a devastating blow to the national economy. Following Donald Trump's announcement that he would impose a 30% tariff on Mexican products starting August 1, the official response has been a mix of firmness and a call for caution.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), headed by Marcelo Ebrard, was the first to react, describing the measure as "unfair treatment" that does not reflect the relationship between the two countries as strategic partners. Shortly after, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that a negotiation table has been established, urging "cool heads" to manage the crisis. In a statement outlining her administration's position, Sheinbaum urged the United States to focus its efforts on combating drug distribution within its own borders, and "not only toward Mexico."

Trump's timing for this threat doesn't appear to be a coincidence. The announcement comes just as details of the plea deal between Ovidio Guzmán López, leader of the "Los Chapitos" faction, and the U.S. justice system are being revealed. Trump's letter to Sheinbaum justifies the tariffs precisely on the grounds of the "fentanyl crisis," the same crime to which Guzmán has pleaded guilty.

This simultaneous action creates what analysts describe as a "pincer movement" on the Mexican administration. On the one hand, massive economic pressure is being exerted through the tariff threat. On the other, judicial and security pressure is being exerted through the Guzmán case, with the United States positioning itself as the actor resolving a problem that, according to them, Mexico has been unable to control. This dual offensive places Mexico in an extremely complex negotiating position, forcing it to respond to an agenda defined almost entirely from Washington.

"We are continuing negotiations to reach an agreement... We must keep a cool head." – Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico.

Beyond the immediate crisis, this episode highlights a structural vulnerability of the Mexican economy: its deep dependence on the U.S. market. The fact that this interdependence can be used as a political weapon at any moment represents an existential risk that goes beyond this particular tariff.

The Mexican government's immediate reaction has been, out of necessity, to negotiate. This demonstrates that the threat is too great to be ignored or to respond with symmetrical retaliation. The potential impact on "businesses and jobs" would be catastrophic, affecting key sectors of the national industry.

This event is destined to spark a profound strategic debate within Mexico's political and business circles. The need to diversify markets and strengthen economic sovereignty will cease to be an academic topic and become a national emergency. The current crisis is not just about tariffs; it is a wake-up call regarding the country's economic model and its fragility in the face of the political vagaries of its northern neighbor. The outcome of the negotiations in the coming weeks will not only define the short-term economic future but could also mark the beginning of a strategic rethinking of Mexico's foreign and trade relations for the coming decades.