President Trump vowed Thursday that he would double all current US tariffs on Mexico if America’s southern neighbor allowed a caravan of more than 1,000 migrants to reach the border.
“Here we go again!” Trump began a lengthy post on Truth Social. “With the perceived loss by the Republicans in the Midterms – I WAS NOT ON THE BALLOT- the INVASION of our Country is taking place again. Huge CARAVANS are forming and beginning their illegal march through Mexico. Many of the people in these Caravans are those that various countries don’t want – “Send them to America,” they say – But they will not be accepted!
“MEXICO MUST STOP THEM, NOW, and if they do not do so, the Tariffs on Mexico will be IMMEDIATELY DOUBLED,” the president continued. “MEXICO, THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, THE VERY LIBERAL NEW GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, OUR GREAT BORDER PATROL, & ICE, HAVE BEEN SO INFORMED. There will be no leniency!”
The group set off Tuesday from the southern city of Tapachula near the Guatemala border, with some confirming that they were motivated by the prospect of looser US immigration policy following Democrats’ sweeping to power on Capitol Hill last week.
Cesar Sandoval, a 47-year-old Nicaraguan, told AFP that he hoped to have “another chance” to enter the US and said of newly elected Democrats: “We hope they remember that the ones who gave them the vote so they could make it to the Senate and Congress were the sons of Hispanics, the sons of Latinos.”
“God is coming with us on this journey,” added another migrant, 38-year-old Cristian Pablo of Guatemala. “The United States offers better opportunities than Guatemala.”
The caravan is the third to attempt to traverse Mexico since September, with the other two broken up by authorities and their members granted temporary stay permits.
The US, Mexico and Canada began talks over the summer on revising a free trade agreement negotiated between the countries during Trump’s first term.
The White House has imposed 25% national security tariffs on Mexican-made autos and 50% rates on steel and aluminum products from south of the border, duties also applied to Canada.
With Post wires
