MEXICO CITY: Mexico on Monday criticized a risk by US President Donald Trump’s administration to hinder animal exports over a pest control column, fanning conflicts between the main business associates.
Trump’s Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned in a text released Saturday that Washington would limit exports of live animals unless Mexico acts to help manage a screwworm travel epidemic by Wednesday.
She said that Washington was “very concerned” about the countries ‘ shared battle against the pandemic in southern Mexico.
The United States complained that its southern cousin was restricting US-contracted planes that launch barren screwworm flies to operating six days a week instead of seven.
It also accused Mexican government of imposing” substantial buy duties” on aircraft parts, technology and barren travel shipments needed for the operations.
Asked about the US complaint at her morning news conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that while some aspects were justified, “others we consider to be excessive. “
She said that the Mexican agriculture ministry was in contact with US authorities to explain its efforts to combat the screwworm, whose flesh-eating larvae can kill cattle.
The row comes against a backdrop of increased trade tensions between the neighboring countries as a result of US tariffs.
While Trump this month left Mexico off the list of nations facing his “reciprocal tariffs,” its carmakers as well as steel and aluminum exporters still face damaging duties.
Mexico exported just over one million head of cattle to the United States last year, according to estimates by both governments.
