Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum slammed the United States for accusing her government of having ties with drug cartels, calling it "slander". 

Advertisment

Vehemently denying the allegations made by US President Donald Trump's administration, Sheinbaum vowed to take action against the sweeping tariffs imposed by the US.

Tensions between the US, Canada, and Mexico have reached a boiling point after the White House announced that Trump would impose 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods citing illegal immigration and drug smuggling.

Sheinbaum said she had told her economy minister, Marcelo Ebrard, "to implement Plan B that we have been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defence of Mexico's interests."

Advertisment

Ebrard said that Trump's tariffs were a "flagrant violation" of the United States' free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.

"We categorically reject the slander made by the White House against the Mexican government about alliances with criminal organizations," Sheinbaum wrote on social media platform X.

Advertisment

"If there is such an alliance anywhere, it is in the US gun shops that sell high-powered weapons to these criminal groups," she added.

"If the United States government and its agencies wanted to address the serious consumption of fentanyl in their country, they can combat the sale of narcotics on the streets of their main cities, which they don't do, and the money laundering generated by this illegal activity that has done so much harm to their population," Sheinbaum said.

Also read: China 'firmly opposes' tariffs imposed by US, vows 'countermeasures'

Canada to hit US with 25% retaliatory tariffs

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, on Saturday (Feb 1), said that his country will hit back at the tariffs imposed by the United States with 25 per cent levies of its own on select American goods.

"Canada will be responding to the US trade action with 25 per cent tariffs against Can$155 billion ($106 billion) worth of American goods," Trudeau said as he warned of a fracture in longstanding Canada-US ties.

Ottawa will impose tariffs on US goods in two phases. The initial round, which will start on Tuesday (Feb 4), will target (Canadian) $30 billion worth of American products, followed by additional tariffs on Can$125 billion worth of goods three weeks later.

The Canadian prime minister further said that he doesn't want this escalation but will stand up for his country.

"We're certainly not looking to escalate. But we will stand up for Canada, for Canadians, for Canadian jobs," Trudeau said.

(With inputs from agencies)