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The ongoing re-arrangement of U.S. Mexico relations tends toward less coverage in North American press organs than other more interesting (to them) arenas of news. And yet U.S. Mexico relations tends to serve as the template for U.S. relations in the region. And it provides a basis for considering the amplitude of the variation in that template. And it is this: the U.S. and Mexico negotiate; the U.S. and Brazil produce public drama and private accommodation to a point. The difference is interesting especially in the way that it highlights diffe4rences in techniques among the broad range of Latin American left of center politics. It becomes more substantial in effect when both must engage with a transactional administration in the U.S. whose interest in and strategic use of ideology and ideological positions is, by definition, largely a matter of indifference. And that, to a remarkable extent, suggests the discursive disjunctions in the relationships between a pragmatic Mexican President, and ideologically strategic Brazilian President (with lots of history stretching back to the Free Trade Area of the Americas and a deep mentorship by Fidel Castro).
The pragmatism of President Sheinbaum was much on display in recent remarks about the ongoing trade talks with the United States. That suggests both the strength and importance of historically contingent ideological foundations, as well as the now well developed operational mechanisms for bargaining with the Americans. The ideology serves as the language of negotiating limits; the pragmatism helps shape negotiation to produce a likelihood of agreement. The ideological limits touch on what the Mexicans view as sovereignty issues. The rest is pragmatism, a transactional pragmatism with value added for Mexico (however that is assessed) and the sort of bargaining for advantage that is much more familiar to President Trump. And leaves quite a bit of wiggle room. For what is sovereignty as we approach the second third of the 21st century? It can focus on its forms--the stationing of troops, the projections inward of foreign power without the smallest effort to disguise its form or effect, the development of relations of guidance and leadership from outside the national territory, and formal control of national security impacted areas of operation. Or it can focus on substance. But how does one assess substantive sovereign effect? One way of course is my way of negative impacts. Yet for that analysis some sort of sovereignty baseline would have to be established. It becomes harder in the economic field where a State is deeply intermixed with both markets for goods and investment with a number of powerful States. Generally, the core of areas like this revolve around extraterritorial application of foreign state law. The Mexicans, for example, have long been sensitive to the application of Cuba related sanctions on or through Mexican companies or operation within Mexican national territory. But there are always exceptions--and reciprocity may soften any effort at ideological purity. But with Mexico the key is migration, an area where Mexican and American interests are not exactly aligned but also not exactly opposed. This may be a good place to consider the possibilities raised months ago by Secretary Rubio of an Americas First policy--it may not work for the moment in Brazil, but Mexico is a very different place (US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is "Flying Down to Rio" to Dance the Carioca with an "An Americas First Foreign Policy" (With text of Secretary Rubio's Essay, State Dept. Press Briefing of Trip, and Brief Reflections).
The test of President Sheinbaum's remarks follow in the original Spanish and in an English translation.
Vamos a llegar a un acuerdo con el gobierno de EUA; no se negocia nunca la soberanía de nuestro país: Presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum
Tenemos claro qué podemos trabajar con el Gobierno de EUA y hay algo que no se negocia nunca, es la soberanía de nuestro país, afirmó frente al pueblo Yaqui
Presidencia de la República | 12 de julio de 2025 | Comunicado
- “Siempre he dicho que en estos casos lo que hay que tener es cabeza fría para afrontar cualquier problema”, expuso en Sonora
Desde Guaymas, Sonora, la Presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, aseguró que México llegará a un acuerdo con el Gobierno de Estados Unidos, esto ante el anuncio del presidente Donald Trump de imponer aranceles del 30 por ciento a todos los países del mundo; sin embargo, puntualizó que la soberanía del país nunca se negociará.
“La carta establece claramente se busca llegar a un acuerdo para que no haya estos aranceles. Entonces, lo ponen para el 1º de agosto. Y nosotros creemos que —por lo que platicaron el día de ayer nuestros compañeros— que vamos a llegar a un acuerdo con el gobierno de los Estados Unidos y que vamos a llegar, por supuesto, a mejores condiciones. Siempre he dicho que en estos casos lo que hay que tener es cabeza fría para afrontar cualquier problema.
“Pero, además, yo me siento muy segura porque hay algo que tenemos en el gobierno, y es que representamos a nuestro pueblo, representamos la dignidad del pueblo de México. Y el pueblo de México es resistente, si lo saben los yaquis; valiente, si lo saben los yaquis. Y además, siempre triunfa, el pueblo de México siempre triunfa, y así vamos a avanzar entre todas y todos. Y además tenemos claro qué podemos trabajar con el gobierno de Estados Unidos y tenemos claro qué no. Y hay algo que no se negocia nunca: es la soberanía de nuestro país”, informó luego de inaugurar el Hospital Comunitario Vícam Switch.
Recordó que ayer, viernes 11 de julio, una delegación mexicana de las Secretarías de Economía, Relaciones Exteriores, Hacienda, Seguridad Pública y Energía se reunió con los Departamentos de Estado, de Comercio y de Energía, además del Consejo de Seguridad Nacional y la oficina del Representante Comercial de Estados Unidos para instalar una mesa de trabajo permanente binacional.
Adicionalmente, el gobernador de Sonora, Alfonso Durazo Montaño, expresó su respaldo, así como el de las y los sonorenses ante esta nueva coyuntura, y refrendó que la relación entre México y Estados Unidos se basa en la igualdad, el respeto a la soberanía y la colaboración.
We will reach an agreement with the US government; our country's sovereignty is never negotiable: President Claudia Sheinbaum
We are clear that we can work with the US government, and there is one thing that is never negotiable: our country's sovereignty, she affirmed before the Yaqui people.
Presidency of the Republic | July 12, 2025 | Press Release
President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo
"I have always said that in these cases, what we need is a cool head to face any problem," she stated in Sonora.
From Guaymas, Sonora, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo assured that Mexico will reach an agreement with the United States government, in light of President Donald Trump's announcement to impose 30 percent tariffs on all countries in the world. However, she emphasized that the country's sovereignty will never be negotiated.
“The letter clearly establishes that they are seeking an agreement to eliminate these tariffs. So, they set it for August 1st. And we believe—based on what our colleagues discussed yesterday—that we will reach an agreement with the United States government and that we will, of course, reach better terms. I have always said that in these cases, what we need is a cool head to face any problem.
“But, in addition, I feel very confident because there is something we have in the government, and that is that we represent our people, we represent the dignity of the people of Mexico. And the people of Mexico are resilient, as the Yaquis know; brave, as the Yaquis know. And besides, they always triumph, the people of Mexico always triumph, and that is how we will move forward together. And we are also clear about what we can work with the United States government and what we cannot.” And there is something that is never negotiated: it is the sovereignty of our country,” she reported after inaugurating the Vícam Switch Community Hospital.
She recalled that yesterday, Friday, July 11, a Mexican delegation from the Ministries of Economy, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Public Security, and Energy met with the Departments of State, Commerce, and Energy, as well as the National Security Council and the Office of the United States Trade Representative, to establish a permanent binational working group.
Additionally, the Governor of Sonora, Alfonso Durazo Montaño, expressed his support, as well as that of the people of Sonora, for this new situation and reaffirmed that the relationship between Mexico and the United States is based on equality, respect for sovereignty, and collaboration.
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