Tensions between Mexico and the US escalated after the death of Alejandro Cabrera Clemente - a 49-year-old Mexican citizen - at the detention center of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) in Louisiana. This is the 15th death of a Mexican detained by the US in just over 1 year.
President Sheinbaum called this situation "unacceptable", and affirmed that the ICE detention facilities are completely incompatible with international standards on human rights and the protection of life.
Faced with this situation, Ms. Sheinbaum directed the entire Mexican consulate system in the US to conduct daily periodic checks at detention centers.
The Mexican government also announced that it would bring this issue to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and is considering appealing to the United Nations. "We will protect the Mexican people at all levels," she emphasized, while noting that for many migrants, their only mistake is not having valid identification papers.
Besides the immigration issue, the rift between the two countries also comes from President Trump imposing an energy freeze on Cuba - an important ally of Mexico. Although Mexico had previously conceded to avoid tariff threats, Ms. Sheinbaum is now shifting to a more drastic stance.
Mexico affirmed its right to supply fuel to Cuba for humanitarian and commercial purposes, and said that sanctions from Washington are depleting the economy and directly affecting the lives of the people of this island nation.
Analysts at the Council of America believe that the increase in world oil prices due to the conflict in Iran has unintentionally created an advantage for Mexico. Because it is dependent on energy supplies from neighboring countries, the US is unlikely to impose too strong economic or military sanctions to respond to Mexico at this time.
Therefore, President Sheinbaum can be more confident in firmly protecting national interests, even when the two countries are about to enter the tense phase of renegotiating the USMCA free trade agreement.
