U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened Mexico with new sanctions and tariffs over a dispute concerning the distribution of water along the southern border. Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed confidence that both countries will reach an agreement.
“We will keep escalating consequences, including tariffs and maybe even sanctions, until Mexico honors the treaty and gives Texas the water they are owed,” Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social.
Trump claimed that “Mexico owes Texas 1.3 million acre-feet (1.6 billion cubic metres) of water under the 1944 Water Treaty.” He added, “But Mexico, unfortunately, is violating its treaty obligation. This is very unfair and is severely hurting farmers in South Texas.”
In response, Sheinbaum attributed the situation to a prolonged drought that has affected Mexico over the past three years. “To the extent that water availability allows, Mexico has been in compliance,” she said in a statement shared on her X (formerly Twitter) profile.
Sheinbaum confirmed she has submitted a comprehensive proposal to address the delivery of water to Texas under the terms of the treaty. She also instructed her Ministers of Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, and the Environment to engage with U.S. officials, stating, “I am confident that, as with other issues, we will reach an agreement.”
The 1944 treaty outlines the shared use of water from the Rio Grande (Río Bravo) and the Colorado River, which flow along the U.S.–Mexico border. Under the agreement, the U.S. must annually send water from the Colorado River to Mexico, while Mexico must deliver a set amount from the Rio Grande in five-year cycles via a network of interconnected dams and reservoirs.
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