Mexican president rejects new US border wall construction

Mexico City, July 19 (IANS) Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum voiced strong opposition to the construction of a new segment of the US border wall in the state of New Mexico, calling it a unilateral move by the US government.

Speaking at her daily press conference on Friday, Sheinbaum emphasised that Mexico is not involved in the project in any way and is not contributing funding, Xinhua news agency reported.

"They're building it on their own. We don't support the wall. We've achieved a safe border through cooperation and coordination, not walls," she said.

Sheinbaum described the construction as a decision made solely by US President Donald Trump and emphasised Mexico's preference for development-based cooperation and respect for Mexicans living in the United States.

This week, the Trump administration began a new phase of construction on a secondary border barrier between Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and Ciudad Juarez in northern Mexico.

The project includes 9.6 km of 9-meter-high steel posts placed behind an older 5.5-meter fence.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump imposed a 17 per cent tariff on fresh tomatoes from Mexico.

He also announced his administration would levy a 30 per cent tariff on goods from Mexico and members of the European Union beginning August 1, targeting two of the US’s top trading partners.

Trump posted separate letters on Truth Social to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen informing them of the tariff rates.

In his letter to Sheinbaum Pardo, Trump cited the flow of fentanyl across the southern border, which was the original basis for a 25 per cent tariff he imposed on Mexican goods earlier this year.

--IANS

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