Mexico’s president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (usually referred to as AMLO) called the United States a nation of migrants during a recent letter to President Donald Trump. The letter was released to the public this week, and was written in response to the pending tariff placed on Mexico — an effort to halt illegal immigration and to encourage Mexican officials to crack down on illegal efforts on their side of the border.
The tariff is set to begin June 10, 2019, and is designed to pressure Mexico to put a halt to the steady flow of Central American migrants it is freely allowing to cross its borders. The thousands of traveling migrants do not want to settle in Mexico; they are simply using the nation as a passageway to the United States. Once they reach the border, they attempt to cross illegally into the US.
President Trump continued in other tweets, explaining that the tariff was just the start and that illegal immigration would have to be addressed. He stated that the tariff on goods produced in Mexico would not only continue, but would increase by 5% every month until Mexico takes action and prevents the Central American migrants and their own people from illegally entering the USA.
AMLO’s letter contained harsh words for the nation and for President Trump, including claiming that “America First is a fallacy,” and complaining about the pending tariff. Mexico is also sending a team to Washington later this week to attempt to negotiate the tariff. His letter reads in part:
“With all due respect, although you have the right to express it, ‘America First’ is a fallacy because until the end of times, even beyond national borders, justice and universal fraternity will prevail.”
Last Thursday, President Trump tweeted the news about the pending June 10 tariff, stating that the United States “will impose a 5% Tariff on all goods coming into our Country from Mexico, until such time as illegal migrants coming through Mexico, and into our Country, STOP.”
While President Trump did not reply specifically to the letter, he took to Twitter to call out both Mexico and US Democrats for the problems towns and individuals are facing along the border due to illegal immigration.
“Mexico has taken advantage of the United States for decades,” Trump tweeted, continuing “Mexico makes a FORTUNE from the U.S.” and “they can easily fix this problem.”
President Trump also predicted that companies would shutter production and leave Mexico entirely if the tariffs continued, but that things should not go that far. He pointed out that slowing the flow of migrants through the country and taking a stand against drug cartels would improve life on both sides of the border, not just in the United States.
The tariff is scheduled to begin next week and to continue until Mexico complies with the ongoing request to stem both illegal migration and the flow of drugs into the United States.
