Mexico City, August 7: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that her government is working on a security plan aimed at increasing safety in the crime-affected Michoacán state. This initiative is intended to resume avocado exports to the United States, which were halted due to safety concerns.
During her daily press conference at the National Palace on Thursday, Sheinbaum stated that the strategy aims to enhance security in certain areas of Michoacán, where the presence of the National Guard has been limited. She also mentioned that discussions with U.S. officials will continue.
Regarding the exports, she expressed optimism, saying, “We hope to resume this very soon, which is why we are negotiating and strengthening security in areas where the guard’s presence has been insufficient.”
Following a security alert issued by the U.S. for the region, President Sheinbaum met with avocado growers and exporters in Michoacán, a leading producer and exporter of avocados to the U.S. market.
Simultaneously, Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested an urgent meeting with the U.S. Embassy. The ministry proposed that inspection activities resume, with the presence of inspectors from Mexico’s National Food Safety Service.
Sheinbaum emphasized her commitment to resolving this issue to restore exports. The U.S. announced on Wednesday that it had suspended government activities and avocado inspections and imports in Michoacán due to threats against American interests.
In early June, Mexican Economic Secretary Marcelo Ebrard stated that Mexico would focus on persuading the U.S. to eliminate existing tariffs during the review process of the North American trilateral free trade agreement.
Ebrard mentioned in a program that the U.S. delegation had presented several proposals following the first round of formal discussions regarding the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. has imposed varying tariffs on imports, depending on where the goods are produced. Mexican officials argue that this policy diverges significantly from the international trading system that has been in place for decades, especially with regional trading partners Mexico and Canada.
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