Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Denies Proposing to Close Border with US, Citing Human Rights
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has denied proposing to close the US-Mexico border as claimed by US President-elect Donald Trump, stating that it would be against human rights. Sheinbaum made the statement during her regular morning news conference on Thursday.
Sheinbaum’s remarks came after Trump claimed that the pair had a “productive conversation” during their first talks since Trump announced tariffs against Mexico earlier this week. Trump claimed that Mexico had agreed to stop migration into the US and close the border, and that the two leaders also discussed ways to stop the flow of drugs into the US.
However, Sheinbaum denied that Mexico would ever propose to close the border, adding that her country’s approach has been to “build bridges between governments and between peoples.” Sheinbaum also highlighted Mexico’s efforts to address migration, including its comprehensive strategy for addressing the phenomenon, which has led to a 75% reduction in US border crossings over the past year.
The episode is reminiscent of Trump’s first term as president, during which he made bold claims about his dealings with Mexico, only to have reality diverge from his rhetoric. This time, Trump’s claims of Mexico’s closure of the border and agreement to stop migration did not align with Sheinbaum’s account of their conversation.
Trump’s team is considering executive action to bring back a program known as “remain in Mexico,” which requires migrants to stay in Mexico during their immigration proceedings in the US. However, it is unclear what will come of the disconnect between Trump’s claims and Sheinbaum’s denials.
The early interactions between Sheinbaum and Trump will be closely monitored as Trump prepares to implement his plan to end undocumented migration into the US and deport those who have entered the country illegally.
