SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum says she will not accept an invitation to meet with Donald Trump in the near future due to ongoing disagreements over tariffs.
This week, President Trump imposed a 17 percent tariff on fresh tomatoes from Mexico.
He also announced his administration would levy a 30 percent tariff on goods from Mexico and members of the European Union beginning Aug. 1, targeting two of the U.S.’s top trading partners.
Sheinbaum told reporters on Friday morning she sees no need to meet with her U.S. counterpart because of economic tensions between the two countries.
She said negotiations are going on right now in Washington.
“There’s a team now in place in the United States dealing with economic issues,” said Sheinbaum. “Yesterday they had a meeting and there’s another one planned for today, the objective is to arrive at an agreement, hopefully before August first.”
When asked if she planned to meet with President Trump, she responded, “No, not in the near future.”
Fearing loses for tomato growers in Mexico, Sheinbaum says her government is working with them to lend support.
“You have small growers who are affected, this tax is going to affect their production costs, we’ll support them and their workers,” she said.
One way to help tomato growers, Sheinbaum said her administration is considering exporting tomatoes to Japan and other countries.
“For example, we’re already exporting tomatoes to Japan, there is a possibility of increasing our exports to that country and others in Asia and the Pacific Rim,” Sheinbaum said. “We are also considering Europe, countries such as Germany are big consumers of tomatoes.”
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