President Donald Trump has once again increased pressure on Mexico by threatening to immediately double tariffs on Mexican imports if the government of Claudia Sheinbaum does not stop the migrant caravans crossing the country with the intention of reaching the United States.
In a forceful message on his social media account, Truth
Social, the US president demanded immediate action from Mexican authorities and
made his warning clear: "MEXICO MUST STOP THEM, NOW!"
Trump has thus conditioned Washington's trade policy on
Mexico's response to the movement of migrant groups advancing from the south of
the country toward the northern border. His threat opens a new front of tension
between the two governments, directly linking immigration control with the
imposition of greater trade barriers.
The warning comes after a new caravan, composed mainly of
Central American migrants, departed from Tapachula, Chiapas, intending to
travel toward the United States. This movement once again puts Mexico under
pressure given the White House's demands to contain migration flows.
For her part, President Claudia Sheinbaum has defended
Mexico's strategy for assisting migrants and has noted that the caravans have
decreased considerably in size during their journey. Her government has
insisted that it seeks to address the phenomenon through assistance mechanisms,
dialogue, and voluntary return.
However, Trump's message suggests that Washington maintains
the option of using tariffs as a tool to exert pressure and achieve results on
migration issues.
This latest episode confirms that migration continues to be
one of the main points of contention between Mexico and the United States, in a
relationship where Washington's political decisions can have direct
consequences for the Mexican economy.