US-Mexico talks: an agreement to avoid tariffs has been reached, says Trump



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Mexico has agreed to take "unprecedented measures" to help stem the flow of migrants to the United States in order to avoid the tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.

Mr. Trump revealed that an agreement had been reached to suspend rates "indefinitely" in a series of tweets.

He had threatened to apply import duties of 5%, increasing every month, unless Mexico acts to curb migration.

Rates were to come into effect on Monday.

Is there a crisis at the US-Mexico border?

The agreement, also confirmed in a tweet by Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, comes after three days of negotiations in which Washington has called for a crackdown on Central American migrants.

Mr. Trump surprised members of his own party when he announced the proposed rates last week.

He had declared an emergency situation at the US-Mexico border in February, saying it was necessary to tackle what he described as a crisis by thousands of undocumented migrants. crossing the border.

What do we know about the case?

In a joint statement issued by the US State Department, the two countries said Mexico would take "unprecedented" measures to combat irregular migration and human trafficking.

But it appears that the United States has not received one of their major claims that would have forced Mexico to accommodate asylum seekers heading to the United States and to process their claims on his own soil.

As part of this agreement, Mexico has agreed to:

Deploy its national guard throughout the country starting Monday, engaging up to 6,000 additional troops along Mexico's southern border with Guatemala

Take "decisive steps" to tackle smuggling networks

The United States has also agreed to:

Expanding its program to return asylum seekers to Mexico pending the reconsideration of their claims. In return, the United States "would work to speed up" the adjudication process

The two countries pledged to "strengthen bilateral cooperation" in border security, including "coordinated actions" and information-sharing.

The statement added that discussions would continue and that the final terms would be accepted and announced within 90 days.

If the measures taken by Mexico "did not have the expected results", the agreement provided that additional measures could be taken, but did not specify what they would be.

Ebrard told reporters that the deal was a "fair balance" between the two countries.

Trump's tariff threat retreats – for the moment

By Will Grant, BBC correspondent in Mexico and Central America

It is still unclear whether it was domestic pressure within his party or the measures proposed by Mexico that dissuaded Trump from implementing the plan. Or maybe just an appreciation of its potential consequences.

During the interviews, it became clear how closely the two neighboring economies are intertwined and many argued that a 5% tax on all Mexican products would also hurt US suppliers and customers.

In addition, the deterioration of the already fragile Mexican economy could have plunged it into a total recession and created more migrants heading north in search of work.

Some, however, felt that the bilateral meetings were useful, partly to recognize that both countries are facing an unprecedented increase in undocumented immigration. The deployment of military personnel on the southern border of Mexico may have helped to put an end to this dispute. However, President Trump has now linked immigration to bilateral trade and could easily do so in the future if the situation does not improve.

What is the reaction in Mexico?

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who had vowed to stand up to the United States, said that he would not allow Mexico to be Mr. Trump's "badping boy".

But some politicians felt that he had given too much, too fast and asked to see the details of the agreement.

Ángel Ávila Romero, a prominent member of the leftist party PRD, said the agreement was "not a negotiation, but a surrender".

"Mexico should not militarize its southern border, we are not the court of Donald Trump," he tweeted.

Marko Cortés, leader of the Conservative Party of National Action (PAN), said Mexico's sovereignty and dignity had been damaged, El Universal reported.

Mr López Obrador said on Twitter that a rally in the border town of Tijuana on Saturday to celebrate Mexico's sovereignty would take place.

Who is President López Obrador?

What tariffs had Trump threatened?

According to his proposal, duties would have increased by 5% every month on products, including cars, beer, tequila, fruits and vegetables, until reaching 25% in October.

Mexico is currently one of the largest trading partners of the United States, just behind China and Canada. Two countries also took part in trade disputes with the United States.

What is the situation at the US-Mexico border?

On Wednesday, the US Department of Customs and Border Protection announced that the number of migrant detentions had reached its highest level in May for more than a decade.

The border patrol apprehended 132,887 migrants attempting to enter the United States from Mexico in May, an increase of 33 per cent over the previous month.

The arrests represent the highest monthly total since Mr. Trump took office.

"We are in a situation of utter urgency, and I can not say any louder, the system is down," said CBP Acting Commissioner John Sanders.

Official figures show that illegal border crossings have been declining since 2000.

In 2000, 1.6 million people were apprehended while attempting to cross the border illegally – a number slightly below 400,000 in 2018.

In 2017, Trump's first year in office, the numbers were the lowest since 1971.

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