US President Threatens 5% Tariff on Mexico Over Water Dispute
In a dramatic escalation of tensions with its southern neighbor, US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 5% tariff on Mexico if it fails to meet its obligations under a decades-old treaty related to water sharing.
The dispute centers around the Rio Grande, which forms part of the border between the two countries. Under the 1944 treaty, Mexico is required to supply 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the US every five years, while the US must allocate 1.5 million acre-feet annually from the Colorado River to Mexico.
However, Trump claims that Mexico has failed to meet its obligations over the past five years, owing the US an estimated 800,000 acre-feet of water. He demands that Mexico release 200,000 acre-feet by December 31 and more "soon after", threatening to impose a 5% tariff on Mexican goods if his demands are not met.
The lack of water has already had devastating consequences for Texas farmers, with crop losses and livestock shortages reported in recent months. Trump warned that this is "very unfair" to US farmers who are struggling to access the water they need.
Mexico's economy ministry has so far refused to comment on the matter. The country's own water resources have been severely impacted by drought conditions, overconsumption, and mismanagement, according to a recent study by the World Wildlife Fund. The study found that 52% of the water consumed from the Rio Grande is unsustainable.
This dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between the US and Mexico on issues related to trade and natural resources. Last year, US lawmakers urged Congress to withhold funding from Mexico until it met its water delivery obligations.
In a broader context, Trump's economic assistance package for farmers impacted by trade wars has been unveiled, with $12 billion in aid expected to help farmers recover from the losses caused by tariffs on Mexican goods. However, the dispute over water remains a pressing issue between the two countries.
In a dramatic escalation of tensions with its southern neighbor, US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 5% tariff on Mexico if it fails to meet its obligations under a decades-old treaty related to water sharing.
The dispute centers around the Rio Grande, which forms part of the border between the two countries. Under the 1944 treaty, Mexico is required to supply 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the US every five years, while the US must allocate 1.5 million acre-feet annually from the Colorado River to Mexico.
However, Trump claims that Mexico has failed to meet its obligations over the past five years, owing the US an estimated 800,000 acre-feet of water. He demands that Mexico release 200,000 acre-feet by December 31 and more "soon after", threatening to impose a 5% tariff on Mexican goods if his demands are not met.
The lack of water has already had devastating consequences for Texas farmers, with crop losses and livestock shortages reported in recent months. Trump warned that this is "very unfair" to US farmers who are struggling to access the water they need.
Mexico's economy ministry has so far refused to comment on the matter. The country's own water resources have been severely impacted by drought conditions, overconsumption, and mismanagement, according to a recent study by the World Wildlife Fund. The study found that 52% of the water consumed from the Rio Grande is unsustainable.
This dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between the US and Mexico on issues related to trade and natural resources. Last year, US lawmakers urged Congress to withhold funding from Mexico until it met its water delivery obligations.
In a broader context, Trump's economic assistance package for farmers impacted by trade wars has been unveiled, with $12 billion in aid expected to help farmers recover from the losses caused by tariffs on Mexican goods. However, the dispute over water remains a pressing issue between the two countries.
A 5% tariff on Mexico's goods? That's gonna hurt people who already struggling with drought & mismanagement of their own water resources. Can't we just have a convo about sharing water & finding solutions together? 
Trump's economic aid package might help farmers, but what about the long-term impact on Mexico's economy & its people? We need to think bigger than just tariffs 
thats soooo unfair lol i mean who does he think hes negotiating with? mexico needs this water too btw did you see the study by wwf saying 52% of rio grande water is unsustainable? 
and what about all those texas farmers struggling to find water? trump sounds like a real villain right now 
. imposing a 5% tariff on mexican goods just gonna hurt more people than it helps, especially small farmers in texas who are already struggling to get their crops grown because of lack of water 
. and whats the point of collecting more water from mexico if we can barely manage our own resources here? 
its like, come on usa... think about the bigger picture 
not just about tariffs and trade deals...
[GIF: a cartoonish Trump face with a scowl and a hint of desperation]
But Mexico's got 52% of it going down the drain 
but Mexico's all about the Rio Grande 
[GIF: a cartoon fish holding its breath]
. The fact that Mexico's water resources have been severely impacted due to drought conditions, overconsumption, and mismanagement makes it even more disconcerting. I mean, can you imagine if the US had to deal with a similar crisis? The ripple effects would be catastrophic for our economy and environment.
.
. plus, we're still dealing with the fallout from our own trade wars... shouldn't we be working together instead of piling on each other?