6/7/2019

IMMIGRATION/MEXICO/TARIFFS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico has two options in confronting the migration standoff with Washington: He can bow to President Trump’s demands, and take in tens of thousands of new asylum seekers. Or he can refuse, and face the threat of tariffs on all Mexican imports to the United States. Both would strain his nation’s economy and weaken his standing at home. This awkward balancing act is evident even in Mr. López Obrador’s public approach to the crisis. Trapped between competing pressures, he is calling on Mexicans to rally in the border city of Tijuana this Saturday [6-8-19] to both defend the dignity of Mexico and, at the same time, celebrate their friendship with the United States. The stalemate in negotiations between the two nations over what Mexico can do to halt migration through its territory — and Mr. Trump’s looming ultimatum to impose tariffs on all Mexican imports if they fail — comes at a bad time for Mr. López Obrador.”

Azam Ahmed and Paulina Villegas, “Mexico Has Two Options in Dealing With Trump Demands on Migration. Both Could Hurt.,” The New York Times online, June 7, 2019