Mexico responds: They call the tariff "unfair" and negotiate

Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economy have described the 30% tariff announced by Donald Trump as "unfair treatment." In a joint statement, they announced they are already in negotiations with the United States to find an alternative before August 1.

The Mexican government has reacted swiftly and firmly to the 30% tariff threat announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. In a joint statement from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and Economy (SE), President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration has described the measure as "unfair treatment" and confirmed the start of high-level negotiations to defuse what could become a devastating trade crisis for the country.

Mexico's official response was issued immediately after being notified of the measure during a working meeting on Friday. The Mexican delegation strongly expressed its disagreement, laying the groundwork for negotiations that are expected to be complex and highly tense.

"We mentioned at the meeting that it was an unfair deal and that we didn't agree," the secretariats stated in their official statement.

Despite the harshness of Trump's announcement, President Claudia Sheinbaum has projected a message of confidence, asserting that her administration hopes to reach an agreement with the United States to prevent the tariffs from going into effect. This stance seeks to calm markets and productive sectors, while paving the way for intense diplomatic dialogue.

Mexico's main tool to address this crisis is the immediate creation of a "permanent binational working group." This mechanism, agreed upon during Friday's meeting, will address not only the tariff threat but also a range of issues on the bilateral agenda, including security and migration, recognizing the interconnectedness that the Trump administration has made these issues.

The priority and most urgent objective of this working group is clear: to find "an alternative that allows businesses and jobs to be protected on both sides of the border" before the August 1 deadline. The Mexican government's communications strategy is notable, as rather than focusing solely on the damage to Mexico, it frames the problem as a shared threat. By speaking of "jobs on both sides of the border," it seeks to generate alliances with US business and labor sectors that would also be harmed by the disruption of supply chains, thus attempting to build a domestic coalition in the US to pressure the White House.

The external crisis has been immediately capitalized on in the domestic political arena. Opposition leaders have used Trump's announcement to launch harsh criticisms of the current administration's security strategy. Alejandro "Alito" Moreno, national leader of the PRI, argued that the tariffs are a direct consequence of the Morena administration's alleged inability to effectively combat drug cartels.

"They've been unable to stop the cartels," Moreno charged, linking Trump's trade policy to his results in terms of homeland security.

This dynamic demonstrates how a foreign policy decision can be instantly weaponized in domestic political debate, fracturing a potentially united front and forcing the government to defend itself on two fronts simultaneously: diplomatic and domestic.

While Mexico is committed to negotiation and dialogue, the White House's position remains inflexible. Sources close to the U.S. administration insist that the August 1 deadline is firm and non-negotiable.

This rigidity, combined with Trump's explicit threat to escalate tariffs if Mexico retaliates, places Mexican negotiators in an extremely delicate position. They will have to find a solution that satisfies Washington's demands, primarily in terms of security, without being perceived as a surrender of sovereignty, all under the pressure of a clock ticking relentlessly toward a potential trade war.