Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum appeared to have successfully navigated her first major international challenge yesterday, Monday: she secured, as a first step, some breathing room for the Mexican economy, by postponing for one month the implementation of the 25% tariffs threatened by her U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, a measure that threatens to cause significant damage to her country’s economy.
Politicians and analysts —even her political opponents—praised her measured tone in her public statements and the skill she demonstrated in initially defusing the U.S. president’s attack: she reached an agreement to postpone the tariffs, under which 10,000 Mexican soldiers will be deployed to the border to reduce the flow of drugs and migrants.
President Sheinbaum «handled it well. »Skillfully,« said Jorge Wahardo, Mexico’s former ambassador to China, via X, even though he belongs to an opposition party. He added that other foreign leaders could learn lessons »on how to do it right.”.
«Seinbaum has adopted a very cautious and strategic approach toward the Trump administration,» emphasized Lila Aved, director of the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington.
Ms. Aved noted that Mexican authorities have increased their fentanyl seizures in recent months —in December, they recorded the largest seizure ever made in the country—which helped her in the negotiations.
«He took action (…) to send a clear message to the U.S. that he understands that (tackling) fentanyl and organized crime are top priorities for the Trump administration,» she said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who—unlike Ms. Scheinbaum—had presented a list of retaliatory tariffs in response to Mr. , also secured a 30-day postponement last night.
For Lila Aved, yesterday’s postponement is a «temporary» victory for President Sheinbaum: whether she can consolidate it «will depend on her ability to deliver immediate results on immigration and security.».
The tariffs announced by Donald Trump—which he had announced in November—were intended to force Mexico and Canada to reduce the flow of fentanyl and undocumented immigrants into the U.S.—are seen as the first major challenge faced by President Sheinbaum, the first woman to assume the office in Mexico in October. The Mexican head of state promised to remain ’calm« during the tariff talks.
Indeed, following the announcement of the tariffs, the president continued to speak in a «very measured tone,» summarized Mexican political scientist Denise Dresser at an event organized and streamed via X by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington. But we are still «bracing for the impact,» Ms. Dresser added, referring to the imposition of tariffs, explaining that the crisis is not over and that Mexico will be «the big loser» if the measures are imposed.
President Sheinbaum’s popularity, already high, not only remained unaffected during the dispute with her American counterpart, Trump, but actually rose by three points from November to January, reaching 77%, according to the polling firm Buendía & Márquez.
The fact that she rushed to defend the free trade agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico —against which she had protested as a student—also helped allay fears that she would not be able to handle the Republican as well as her predecessor and mentor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is considered to have fared unexpectedly well with him during Donald Trump’s first term in the White House (2017–2021).
On Saturday, President Sheinbaum indicated that there would be a response to U.S. tariffs, but she avoided going into details. The fact that she «left her options open» likely tipped the scales «in her favor,» acknowledged Ms. Dresser, a frequent critic of the ruling MORENA party.
Her tone and message regarding the defense of Mexico’s national sovereignty and the strengthening of the country’s economic resilience in the face of impending tariffs resonate not only with her electoral base, but also in the private sector and even among part of the opposition, Ms. Aved emphasized.
«Her negotiating strategy was successful. The fact that she was cautious yet strategic and proactive in her efforts to prevent tariffs is something that is truly welcomed in Mexico,» he noted.
