Mexico 2025-

Border Report – Mexico
Mexico
CUSMA/USMCA (formerly known as NAFTA)

12 October
Traitor, survivor or influencer? Mexico rethinks story of conquistador translator Malinche
(AP) — The woman long blamed for her role in the fall of the Aztec empire in 1521 is getting a modern makeover.
The Spanish called her Marina, pre-Hispanic peoples knew her as Malintzin and later she was renamed Malinche. Her work as translator and interpreter for Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés made her a protagonist in a violent colonial period whose effects still reverberate through Latin America. Her story, told only by others, generated myths and legends.
Was she a traitor to her people? The conquistador’s lover? A slave using her language skills to survive? Or someone with agency who influenced Cortés and shaped major events?
Five centuries later , the debate continues and Mexico’s first woman leader, President Claudia Sheinbaum, is weighing in.
Beginning Sunday [October 13], Mexico will kick off cultural events dedicated to reclaiming the story of Malinche with her pre-Hispanic name, Malintzin. …

18 September
Prime Minister Carney announces new partnership with Mexico to elevate ties across trade, energy, and security
The close and long-standing relationship between Canada and Mexico has created greater certainty, security, and prosperity for both nations. Now, as the world order changes rapidly, Canada and Mexico are elevating this partnership.
Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, alongside the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, launched a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to deepen ties between our countries and make North America the most competitive, dynamic, and resilient economic region in the world.
With the Canada-Mexico Action Plan as our roadmap, our countries will drive progress in strategic areas, particularly in shared prosperity, security, inclusion, and sustainability – advanced by frequent meetings at the leader and ministerial levels.
Key areas of co-operation include:
Prioritizing the development of long-term infrastructure, including ports, rail, and energy corridors.
Creating a new bilateral security dialogue to disrupt transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, and cybercrime.
Building more opportunities for trade and investment – from energy and infrastructure to critical minerals and agriculture.
Reinforcing climate and conservation co-operation to protect wildlife and freshwater systems.
To immediately move forward in priority sectors, Prime Minister Carney announced a new forthcoming trade mission to Mexico, led by the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy, Dominic LeBlanc, and $9.9 million in funding for United Nations-led projects to support migrant integration initiatives in Mexico and combat the illicit production and trafficking of fentanyl.
Canada-Mexico Action Plan 2025-2028
…cooperation between both countries will now be elevated and reforged into the Canada-Mexico Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
In the context of this new elevated relationship, the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, and the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, present the Canada-Mexico Action Plan 2025-2028, which will serve as the roadmap to identify priorities and guide strategic actions for the bilateral relationship. The new Canada-Mexico Action Plan is structured around four strategic pillars—Prosperity; Mobility, Inclusivity and Well-being; Security; and Environment and Sustainability—reflecting the shared priorities that will shape a forward-looking, resilient, and dynamic bilateral relationship.
To support this new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Canada and Mexico are committing to frequent meetings and communication at the highest level and at the Minister and Secretary-level, including amongst others: Foreign Affairs, Trade and Investment, Agriculture, Energy, Natural Resources, Finance, Public Safety and Environment. A joint continuous evaluation will also be conducted to ensure the tracking of progress on achievements across each of the four thematic pillars. Based on the Action Plan, the structure of the Mexico-Canada Partnership will be expanded and strengthened to address evolving needs for joint actions. …

24 August
Why Mexico seems to keep winning in the Trump trade wars
(Globe & Mail) Next month Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to travel to Mexico to meet his counterpart as the two countries struggle with the erratic trade policies of the United States.
One question he may have for Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum: How does her country stay on U.S. President Donald Trump’s good side?
As the trade war has dragged on, Mexico has seemed to benefit from a softer touch by the White House, at least compared with the mercurial president’s recent treatment of Canada.
And while the difference reflects a number of factors unique to Mexico, experts see potential lessons for Canada – lessons which Mr. Carney, who on Friday said Canada would drop its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods imported under the North American trade pact, already appears to be heeding.
… Mexico’s largest export, computers, soared 64 per cent as U.S. importers shifted away from China. When the Trump administration this week expanded the list of products containing steel and aluminum to be tariffed at 50 per cent, it included everything from appliances to toys, aftershave and concentrated milk. But the U.S. left computers off the list.
“Despite trade protectionism, Trump is allowing trade with Mexico to grow (in the shadows) in certain products that the U.S. previously imported from China,”

6-8 August
Mexico’s Sheinbaum has more leeway than Carney when dealing with Trump
Analysis by David Agren
(Globe & Mail) Speaking at her regular marathon morning news conference Wednesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum offered pithy comments on her meeting the previous day with Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand. …
The brevity of Ms. Sheinbaum’s comments regarding the Canadian delegation underscored Canada’s low profile in Mexico, where foreign relations work focuses heavily on the United States and, increasingly under the ruling Morena party, spats with other Latin American governments in defence of leftist allies.
But it also demonstrated her control of the national agenda, as she alone speaks for the country – with little accountability and no rejoinders from state governors or business leaders. Comments from opposition politicians are rebuked as unpatriotic, and Mexican media rarely press the President with tough questions.
Ms. Sheinbaum boasts a 75-per-cent approval rating, according to newspaper El Financiero, while Morena and its allies hold supermajorities in Congress and control of most of the state governments.

Canada courts Mexico as Trump escalates tariff fight
Canadian ministers push energy ties with Mexico ahead of thorny USMCA review
(Politico) Prime Minister Mark Carney dispatched two of his top Cabinet members to Mexico City for meetings this week with President Claudia Sheinbaum and top officials and business leaders.
Canada is playing its energy card in Mexico as part of a strategy to diversify economic relations as a bulwark against Donald Trump’s tariffs, which the president hiked to 35 percent last week after his Aug. 1 deadline for a new deal passed without agreement.
“It’s no secret that Canada is an energy powerhouse and that we have the ability to supply energy to willing countries,” Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told POLITICO from Mexico City.
Canada’s Mexican charm offensive underscored the imperative for Carney’s government to shore up relations with Mexico ahead of the upcoming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Carney insists the pact provides tariff-free trade for 85 percent of Canada’s exports to the U.S. despite the 35 percent tariff imposed last Friday.
… Spurring investment in Mexican energy infrastructure projects, including pipelines and ports, was a major topic, Anand told POLITICO. That included finding investment opportunities for Canada’s “Maple 8” pension fund group of companies, which has more than C$2 trillion in assets.
Mexico’s Sheinbaum says ‘no need’ for bilateral trade deal with Canada
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday ruled out a bilateral trade agreement with Canada when asked about the possibility, following what she called a “very good” meeting with top Canadian government ministers a day earlier.
“We have the trade deal with the United States, Canada and Mexico… There is no need,” Sheinbaum said during her morning press conference where she said she discussed expanding direct trade with Canada
Sheinbaum also confirmed Prime Minister Mark Carney will “soon” travel to Mexico for direct talks, but no date has been set for that visit.
She said an expansion of direct trade with Canada was among the topics discussed, but clarified that did not mean a separate trade deal from the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement on free trade.

12-31 July
Trump Gives Mexico 90-Day Reprieve From Higher Tariffs
(Bloomberg) President Donald Trump extended Mexico’s current tariff rates for 90 days to allow more time for trade negotiations, again relenting after threatening to raise levies on a major trading partner.
Earlier this month, the US president had signaled plans to hike tariffs on Mexico’s exports to 30% from 25% starting Friday, saying President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government hadn’t done enough to help secure their shared border. Many goods certified under a free-trade pact between the countries and Canada have remained exempt.
12 July
Trump Threatens Steep Tariffs on Goods From E.U. and Mexico
Leaders from both economies had been trying to negotiate more favorable terms, only to have those efforts blown up by form letters.

15 May
17 family members of notorious cartel leader enter U.S. in deal with Trump administration, Mexico says
Mexico’s security chief confirmed Tuesday that 17 family members of cartel leaders crossed into the U.S. last week as part of a deal between a son of the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Trump administration.
Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed a report by independent journalist Luis Chaparro that family members of Ovidio Guzmán Lopez, who was extradited to the United States in 2023, had entered the U.S.
Guzmán Lopez is one of the brothers left running a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel after notorious capo Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was imprisoned in the U.S. Video showed the family members walking across the border from Tijuana with their suitcases to waiting U.S. agents.

13 May
Mexican security chief confirms cartel family members entered US in a deal with Trump administration
(AP) — Mexico’s security chief confirmed Tuesday that 17 family members of cartel leaders crossed into the U.S. last week as part of a deal between a son of the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Trump administration.
Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed a report by independent journalist Luis Chaparro that family members of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, who was extradited to the United States in 2023, had entered the U.S.
Guzmán Lopez is one of the brothers left running a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel after notorious capo Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was imprisoned in the U.S. Video showed the family members walking across the border from Tijuana with their suitcases to waiting U.S. agents.
García Harfuch confirmed the family members’ crossing in a radio interview and said it was clear to Mexican authorities that they were doing so after negotiations between Guzmán López and the U.S. government

12 May
Mexico expects early review of USMCA trade pact
Mexico expects a planned review of the trilateral trade pact with the U.S. and Canada to kick off ahead of schedule, the nation’s economy minister said on Monday.
(Reuters/CTV) The review of the USMCA trade agreement is set to begin in 2026, but Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said at an event that he expected it to start in the second half of this year.

9 May
Mexico’s democracy is fast eroding under Sheinbaum’s rule
León Krauze, award-winning Mexican journalist, author and news anchor
Sheinbaum’s Mexico is no beacon. If anything, it’s a flashing red warning light — a cautionary tale of how democracies steadily erode under years of institutional assault by autocratically minded politicians..
(WaPo) The kindness of strangers in Mexico City notwithstanding, the country remains a nightmare for immigrants. And though Sheinbaum has handled President Donald Trump’s bullying deftly, her own autocratic impulses are alive and well. She seems intent on dismantling Mexico’s democracy — a project initiated by her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, which she is now enthusiastically pursuing.
In his final major decision in power, López Obrador pushed a far-reaching judicial reform through a pliant legislature, undermining the separation of powers and strengthening the supremacy of the executive branch — now headed by Sheinbaum, his political disciple. The government had also dismantled independent watchdog agencies.
… These latest attacks on Mexican democracy are serious enough to have sparked a public war of words between Sheinbaum and former president Ernesto Zedillo — an unprecedented confrontation in the country’s modern political life.
In a lengthy essay published recently in Letras Libres magazine (where I work as an editor), Zedillo did not mince words. “Let us not be fooled,” he admonished. “Our young democracy has been murdered.”
Much like in the United States, Mexico’s former presidents rarely comment publicly on national affairs after leaving office. Zedillo, who concluded his presidency a quarter of a century ago, has since devoted himself to teaching at Yale University. He said little during López Obrador’s six years in office. His essay marks an unprecedented turning point in Mexico’s public debate and provides a stark warning about the true state of affairs in the country.

1 May
US imposes sanctions on a Mexican cartel linked to a drug trafficking and fuel-theft network
(AP) — The Trump administration on Thursday imposed economic sanctions on three Mexican nationals and two Mexico-based entities involved in a drug trafficking and fuel theft network linked to Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
It is one of Mexico’s most powerful cartels and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says it has some 19,000 members in its ranks. The cartel developed rapidly into an extremely violent force after it split from the Sinaloa cartel after the 2010 killing of Sinaloa cartel capo Ignacio “Nacho” Coronel Villarreal by the military.

25 April
Telecommunications overhaul sparks free speech concerns
A comprehensive telecommunications reform bill that will significantly overhaul the Mexican government’s role in broadcasting and digital media is breezing through the Senate with the support of the ruling party Morena.
The bill was introduced Wednesday and passed through committee in less than 24 hours. If approved on the Senate floor, the legislation would move to the Chamber of Deputies where it is expected to continue on its fast-track path to President Claudia Sheinbaum’s desk.

7 March
Mexican Billionaire Carlos Slim Cuts Ties with Elon Musk’s Starlink, Costing Musk $7 Billion After Controversial Tweet
(MSN) Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has officially severed ties with Elon Musk’s Starlink, opting to invest in his own telecommunications infrastructure rather than relying on Musk’s satellite technology.
Slim’s company, América Móvil, announced a massive $22 billion investment over the next three years to enhance its network, signaling a major strategic shift in Latin America’s telecommunications industry. The decision is expected to deliver a financial blow to Starlink, which had anticipated a profitable partnership in the region.

6 March
Trump risks starting his own forever war in Mexico
León Krauze, award-winning Mexican journalist, author and news anchor
Mexico’s government is already offering unprecedented levels of cooperation. Trump should build on it.
During Tuesday night’s address to Congress, when talking about Mexico, President Donald Trump once again pounded the drums of war: “The cartels are waging war on America, and it’s time for America to wage war on the cartels,” he thundered.
The future of U.S.-Mexico relations will depend on how the White House ultimately defines this war Trump is foreshadowing. If it involves a unilateral U.S. military operation on Mexican soil, the strategy is likely to backfire — not only straining diplomatic ties but also miring America in an unwinnable war.
… In a recent conversation, journalist Luis Chaparro — who has access to high-level sources within Mexico’s organized crime networks — offered another argument against unilateral intervention: Cartel members would simply go into hiding, only to reemerge later and resume operations. Chaparro is also concerned about potential retaliation. If the cartels perceive themselves as under siege, they could escalate violence across Mexico, potentially targeting U.S. citizens or facilities.
According to journalist Jorge Fernández Menéndez, who has spent decades studying Latin American criminal organizations, such an attack would critically undermine recent progress in security cooperation between the two nations. After years of mutual distrust, intelligence services and military forces from both countries are finally working together more effectively.

27 February
Trump Officials Split Over How Hard to Go on Mexican Cartels
A Mexican delegation will meet in Washington on Thursday to finalize a security deal, as White House officials debate a strategy for fighting cartels and stemming the flow of drugs across the border.
Inside the White House, Trump officials are embroiled in a debate over whether to carry out military strikes against Mexican drug cartels or instead to collaborate with Mexican authorities to jointly dismantle criminal organizations.
On one side, several people familiar with the matter say, some U.S. officials are advocating for unilateral military action against cartel figures and infrastructure to stem the flow of drugs across the border. On the other side, those people say, some officials are arguing for increased partnership with the Mexican government to ensure, among other things, continued cooperation on the issue of migration.

13-18 February
Mexico awaits new response from Google on dispute over Gulf of Mexico name before filing lawsuit
President Claudia Sheinbaum shared a letter addressed to her government from Cris Turner, Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy. It says that Google will not change the policy it outlined after U.S. President Donald Trump declared the body of water the Gulf of America.
As it stands, the gulf appears in Google Maps as Gulf of America within the United States, as Gulf of Mexico within Mexico and Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America) elsewhere. Turner in his letter said the company was using Gulf of America to follow “longstanding maps policies impartially and consistently across all regions” and that the company was willing to meet in person with the Mexican government.
Sheinbaum has had to walk a fine line with Trump amid threats of tariffs and Mexico and other Latin American countries have braced themselves for promised mass deportations, the brunt of which has still not been felt.
Along with the legal threat to Google, the Mexican president also announced Monday that Mexico and the U.S. would hold high-level meetings this week on trade and security in an effort to maintain a “long-term plan of collaboration” between the two countries.
It’s the latest round of talks between the two countries in which Mexico hopes to hold off a larger geopolitical crisis.
Bristling at ‘Gulf of Mexico’ name change on maps, Mexico says it might sue Google
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday that her government wouldn’t rule out filing a civil lawsuit against Google if it maintains its stance of calling the stretch of sea between northeastern Mexico and the southeastern United States the “Gulf of America.”
Sheinbaum has repeatedly defended the name Gulf of Mexico, saying its use dates to 1607 and is recognized by the United Nations.
She has also mentioned that, according to the constitution of Apatzingán, the antecedent to Mexico’s first constitution, the North American territory was previously identified as “Mexican America”. Sheinbaum has used the example to poke fun at Trump and underscore the international implications of changing the Gulf’s name.

25 January
Rising Star Alcalde Takes Helm at Interior: Pro-Labor, Pro-Environment Stance Signals Challenges for Foreign Mining Interests
Mexico’s Triumvirate of Change: Luisa Alcalde, Claudia Sheinbaum, and María Luisa Albores González Lead Radical Shift Favoring the Poor … Women at the Helm: A Historic Triumvirate
Alcalde’s appointment as Secretary of the Interior marks a significant milestone in Mexican politics. Together with President Claudia Sheinbaum and María Luisa Albores González, they form an unprecedented triumvirate of women leading Mexico’s transformation. This shift represents a powerful statement about gender equality and the changing face of Mexican leadership.
… Luisa María Alcalde Luján, the newly appointed Secretary of the Interior in Mexico, represents a fresh wave of progressive leadership that embodies the spirit of the “Cuarta Transformación” (Fourth Transformation) championed by President López Obrador’s administration.
As Secretary of the Interior, Alcalde is poised to play a crucial role in safeguarding Mexico’s sovereignty and natural resources. Her legal expertise and progressive outlook suggest she will be a formidable force in negotiating Mexico’s energy future while prioritizing environmental concerns.
At just 37 years old, Alcalde brings a dynamic blend of youth, activism, and legal expertise to one of Mexico’s most crucial cabinet positions.Alcalde’s background is impressive and diverse. She holds a law degree from the prestigious Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and a master’s in law from the University of California, Berkeley.
This combination of Mexican and American legal education positions her uniquely to address the complex challenges facing Mexico’s interior affairs.

22-24 January
Trump’s Controversial Mexico’s Cartel ‘Terrorism’ Decree Sparks Political Turmoil
The recent decree to label Mexican cartels as terrorist groups has shaken up Mexico’s political landscape plus sparked heated arguments about national independence and safety. President Claudia Sheinbaum, next to opposition leaders, disagrees about accepting U.S. military assistance or protecting Mexico’s right to self-rule.
For U.S. officials who see cartels as an existential threat, cooperation with Mexico has always been a matter of mutual interest. But Trump’s abrupt classification of the cartels as terrorists evokes legal ramifications that could allow U.S. military and intelligence agencies broader leeway to operate. That is deeply alarming to many Mexicans, who recall a long history of foreign interventions that compromised national sovereignty. Sheinbaum, seeking to balance diplomatic courtesy with patriotic fervor, made it clear she would not accept an open door to American armed incursions—even as she conceded that the U.S. can act “on its soil” however it chooses.

Trump Seeks Labeling Latin American Cartels as Terrorists
In a decisive step, the US government labeled multiple Latin American cartels plus criminal networks as terrorist groups. The decision seeks to stop the groups’ activities and improve safety, affecting millions throughout the region.
In a decisive step, the US government labeled multiple Latin American cartels plus criminal networks as terrorist groups. The decision seeks to stop the groups’ activities and improve safety, affecting millions throughout the region. … The President spoke to the nation right after he put his signature on the document. He pointed out that this action might create friction with Mexico. “Mexico probably won’t like this,” he commented, showing his team’s commitment to fighting these crime syndicates. When pressed by reporters about whether this would lead to direct actions against the cartels within Mexican borders, Trump offered a cryptic response: “It could happen; things more strange have happened.” This ambiguity has left many analysts and citizens speculating about the future actions the US might take against these powerful groups.

14 January
Mexico and Canada mull trade maneuvers as Trump proposes “External Revenue Service”
(GZERO media) Incoming US President Donald Trump posted on Tuesday that he will create an “External Revenue Service” to oversee his planned trade tariffs, underlining his commitment to these policies – much to the chagrin of America’s neighbors.
The news came a day after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum laid out a plan to decrease Mexico’s trade deficit with China in what was widely seen as an olive branch to Trump.
By aligning more closely with Trump against China, Sheinbaum hopes she can carve out a special exception for Mexico, and a stronger hand in renegotiations of the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Her administration has already cracked down on the import of counterfeit goods from Asia and placed tariffs on Chinese e-commerce platforms Shein and Temu. She also plans to cut down on reliance on imports for textile and auto manufacturers based in Mexico — but whether that will spare her the wrath of the ERS is yet to be seen.
Mexican president might avoid Trump’s ‘day one’ tariffs
Sheinbaum intensifies actions on migration, fentanyl ahead of Trump’s inauguration
Analysts praise Sheinbaum’s strategy to engage with Trump
Mexico risks major hit from Trump presidency
(Reuters) – In late November, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump sent shock waves through global trade by threatening 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, effectively ripping up a regional trade agreement, if the two countries didn’t do more to curb migration and the flow of drugs. …
Now, as Trump prepares to take office, Sheinbaum has publicly sparred with the incoming U.S. president, but also shown concrete results that could help show Mexico is serious about cooperating on migration, security and China.
It is hard to know if that will be enough, or if the threat of tariffs on Trump’s first day in power is wholly realistic, but experts and former diplomats say Sheinbaum has made a solid start.

13 January
Mexico’s Sheinbaum lays out plan to cut Chinese imports in apparent nod to Trump
Roadmap to place Mexico in top 10 economies by 2030
Plan to substitute Asian imports, boost local output
Plan comes amid trade tensions with US
(Reuters) – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday rolled out an economic plan aimed at curbing imports from China in an apparent nod to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his allegations that Mexico is a back door for Chinese goods entering the United States.
Sheinbaum also used her speech to defend the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade pact, which she said was the only way to compete with China. The deal is up for review in 2026.

3 January
Mexico Energy Industry Transformed By Constitutional Reforms
Three months since taking office on Oct. 1, President Claudia Sheinbaum has reshaped Mexico’s energy industry.
(Wilson Center) First, on Oct. 30, Sheinbaum signed a constitutional reform that altered the legal status of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and the state-owned oil company Pemex, making them “public companies” and no longer “productive state companies,” as they were designated during Mexico’s 2014 energy reform. While some industry members initially thought the status change of the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) was cosmetic, the approved amendments to Articles 25, 27, and 28 go much further and, for example, guarantee that CFE will take dispatch precedence over all private sector participation in the electricity sector. At the same time, third parties are prohibited from supplying power transmission and distribution services, as the state will solely develop such projects.
Weeks later, on Nov. 28, Mexico’s Senate approved another constitutional reform that would dissolve the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) and National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) and fold them within the government Energy Ministry (Sener). The amendment was published in the country’s official legal gazette, known as the DOF, on Dec. 20, and will disappear seven autonomous agencies in 2025…