President Trump told reporters Thursday he had been planning to terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement within days, but decided to try to renegotiate the agreement instead. The president held out the possibility of killing the trade deal later if the negotiations fail.
A move announced recently by Mexican diplomats may be a precursor of what could be happening in the coming months with the trading of major commodities involving the country’s trade war talks with the U.S.
Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said that if North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations don't benefit all parties involved, the country is willing to “step away” from it. In an interview with Bloomberg, he said pulling out of NAFTA would be a last resort.
Mexico's top diplomat was in Washington last week for meetings with the U.S. government, sidestepping the normal channels and heading straight for the White House. Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray met at the White House with President Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner, along with National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and Gary Cohn, a top financial aid, the Mexican government announced.
A new unique food product was created by scientists at the Center for Research in Food and Development (CIAD) of Mexico: a protein-rich squid sausage and omega 3, which has up to 70% less fat, in addition to natural dyes and preservatives.
Mexican politicians are saber rattling against the US agriculture sector, and it looks like Argentina is ready to fill the gap. In effect Mexico's agriculture minister said on Thursday he will lead a business delegation to Argentina and Brazil to explore buying yellow corn, part of a drive to lessen Mexico's U.S. dependence given uncertainty over President Donald Trump's trade policies.
The Mexican government on Wednesday vehemently denied reports that President Trump threatened to send US soldiers into Mexico during a phone call with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. Such a threat “did not happen during that call,” said a government statement released on Twitter Wednesday night.
President Donald Trump and Mexico's president, Enrique Peña Nieto, had a productive and constructive call on Friday morning, according to a joint statement released by the White House today. The two presidents discussed America's trade deficit with Mexico, the importance of the friendship between the two nations, and the need to work together to stop drug trafficking and illegal guns and arms sales, the statement said.
With the conflict with Mexico escalating the White House on Thursday appeared to endorse a 20% tax on all imports to the United States, only to insist a few hours later that it was not endorsing the plan.
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has cancelled next week's trip to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump. His decision comes a day after the new US president unveiled his plan to build a wall along the Mexico-US border and insisted the US would recoup the costs for the barrier from Mexico, which has strongly objected.