Mexico on Thursday pledged to provide an “energetic response” to US President Donald Trump’s planned tariff hikes on Mexican imports.
“It would be catastrophic if Trump lived up to his threat of introducing tariffs over migration. That is why Mexico will not sit on its hands until June 10. If it happens, we will have to provide an energetic response,” Sputnik quoted the Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister Jesus Seade as telling reporters.
The Mexican official further labelled Trump’s decision as an ‘ice cold shower’.
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This comes after Trump unveiled his plan to levy tariffs on the goods coming in from Mexico if the country does not step up its enforcement actions.
The official US statement warned that if Mexico did not act as Trump demanded, the first round of tariffs would begin on June 10 at 5% “on all goods imported from Mexico”. Tariffs would then go up to 10 per cent by July, 15% by August, 20% by September and reach 25% by October if the demands aren’t met.
The release stated that Trump would carry out his threat under authority from the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and that he would lift tariffs only “if the illegal migration crisis is alleviated through effective actions taken by Mexico”.
This is not the first time the US President has warned Mexico over the illegal migrant crisis. He had threatened to shut US’ southern border with the Latin American country over the issue just last month.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that there’s an influx of drugs and criminals from its southern border with Mexico. He has used these claims to justify and press for the construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border.
The fresh threats come at a time when the US is already locked in a trade dispute with China.