Disputing With Trump, Canadian PM Struggles To Save Humatan With Mexico

JAKARTA - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is struggling to save his country's relationship with Mexico.

Relations between the two countries cracked late last year when Canadian officials suggested they would be better off negotiating a trade deal only with the Trump administration.

As reported by Reuters on Friday, August 8, Carney tried to lighten the mood over a phone call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in July praising the domestic football Sheinbaum gave them at their last meeting. Carney said at the time he hoped to visit Mexico soon.

The warm offer highlights Canada's efforts to repair the damage following a series of public insults by Canadian officials, including Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford, who said in November any comparison between Canada and Mexico was "the most insulting thing I've ever heard."

Mexico and Canada are naturally natural allies in many ways. They have benefited from a trilateral trade agreement with the US for 31 years.

First North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994 and then the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement that replaced it in 2020.

However, relations between the two countries have been overshadowed by charges of betrayal on both sides and memories of tense negotiations with Trump.

High-ranking officials practically stopped speaking in November after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau considered making trade agreements with the US without Mexico, which suggests the US and Canada are more aligned on issues such as China.

A few days later, Trudeau flew to Mar-a-Lago for a surprise visit with US President Donald Trump, which surprised Mexican officials.

It looks like Canada has developed a strategy to confront Trump while Mexico is squeezing its hands, a Mexican official said.

Angry Sheinbaum ordered his lieutenants to stop dealing with Canada, at least until Trudeau left office, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Nine months later, Canada found itself in an unfavorable position with Trump while Mexico enjoyed his relative success.

Last week, Trump gave Mexico a new 90-day tariff suspension that would apply, maintaining tariffs at 25%, while raising fares for Canada to 35%.

Now, in an extraordinary change of course, Canadian officials are campaigning to regain Mexico's support and save the trilateral trade agreement Trudeau suggests he is willing to leave, according to two people familiar with the relationship between the two tense countries.

The agreement continues to protect a large number of Canadian and Mexican exports to the US from Trump's latest tariff round.

Carney said on Tuesday it was "important to maintain" the trilateral agreement while Canadian foreign ministers and finance ministers traveled this week to Mexico for a two-day visit with top officials.

When asked by Reuters whether the purpose of his visit was to improve a cracked relationship with Mexico, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said: "It is very important for Canada to have a strong relationship with Mexico, and indeed, I am here to restart the relationship."

Sheinbaum, on X, repeated the message. "We are strengthening relations between our countries," he wrote.