Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican
President Claudia Sheinbaum pledged to defend the United States-Mexico-Canada
Agreement (USMCA) during talks in Mexico City, even as former U.S. president
Donald Trump pushes to renegotiate the deal.
Carney called the pact “a cornerstone of North
American prosperity,” crediting it with making the region “the economic envy of
the world.” Sheinbaum echoed his optimism, telling reporters: “I believe that
the USMCA will prevail.”
The trade deal, which took effect in 2020, is due for
review next year. It remains vital for Mexico and Canada, whose economies
depend heavily on exports to the United States — around 80 percent and 75
percent, respectively.
Trump has already imposed steep tariffs on some
Canadian and Mexican goods that fall outside the agreement — 35 percent on
Canadian products and 25 percent on Mexican ones — disrupting supply chains and
hitting key industries such as autos, steel, and aluminum. He has also
threatened further penalties unless both countries curb migration and drug
trafficking.
Carney and Sheinbaum stressed unity, pointing to next
year’s FIFA World Cup, which the three nations will co-host, as a symbol of
their shared strengths. “We complement the United States, we make them
stronger, we are all stronger together,” Carney said.
In addition to defending the USMCA, the two leaders
announced plans to deepen bilateral trade and investment by boosting use of
Canadian and Mexican ports, while expanding cooperation on agriculture,
security, the environment, and foreign policy.
Mexico is Canada’s third-largest trading partner,
while Canada ranks fifth for Mexico. Last year, trade between the two countries
stood at just under $32 billion — a fraction of their commerce with the United
States.
Carney also pushed back on U.S. claims linking Canada
to fentanyl trafficking, saying: “The unfortunate fact is that there are gangs
from one country in another country, but also vice-versa.”
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