Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo during her daily morning press conference on Monday, Dec. 2. Photo: Presidencia

By KELIN DILLON

As the controversy over the U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed 25 percent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods continues, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (CSP) took to her daily morning press conference on Monday, Dec. 2, to respond to Canadian leaders’ remarks that the problems at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders are not comparable.

At a meeting between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-A-Lago, Trudeau reportedly told the U.S. president-elect that Canada and Mexico “cannot be compared” – particularly since the flow of fentanyl mainly enters the United States via Mexico.

Sheinbaum refuted Trudeau’s claims that Canada has no role in North America’s fentanyl crisis, saying, “The problems are different, yes…. But Canada also has a serious problem with fentanyl consumption.”

“Mexico has opioid addiction problems at a very low level,” continued CSP. “A survey was conducted, and it is not because there are no addiction problems in Mexico – there are, and we are addressing them – but it has nothing to do with this level of fentanyl consumption that there is in the United States and Canada.”

“Mexico will never be less; on the contrary, we are equal; we are different,” said Sheinbaum. “Yes, now on the issue of fentanyl, of course, we must collaborate to address insecurity and drug trafficking, but each of us must also address the issue of consumption.”

Likewise, Ontario Premier Doug Ford lashed out at Mexico as a criticism of the tariffs last week, saying, “Comparing us to Mexico is the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard from our American friends.”

“We’re not going to fall into a provocation about which country is better. What is certain is that Mexico will be respected, and even more so by our trading partners,” added Sheinbaum.

“Everyone should look out for each other, and we interact, coordinate, and complement each other in trade and other virtues of bilateral and trilateral relationships. Not only trade and economics, but also cultural and many other relations with Canada,” concluded the Mexican federal executive.