Mexican Ambassador Lauds US-Mexico Cooperation at Border
On the day after the Mexican Senate ratified the new NAFTA (see 1906190068), Ambassador Martha Barcena told an audience of U.S.-Mexico trade advocates that Mexico acted now to send the message that her country wants trade predictability. Barcena, who was speaking at the Wilson Center "Building a Competitive U.S.-Mexico Border" conference June 20, said security issues have captured the narrative about the U.S.-Mexico border.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
"If the border was so lawless, we would not have this incredible trade," she said. She noted that 30,000 trucks a day cross at the more than 50 ports of entry.
Barcena complained about inadequate staffing at the ports of entry, which has led to cargo processing delays. She said she was visiting Michigan recently, and was told by automotive companies that even a one-minute delay was costing them $16,000.
Similarly, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who was speaking at the same conference, said car companies told him they had started shipping their parts from Juarez to El Paso via charter flights to avoid the delays. He said truckers were sleeping in their trucks at Juarez to not lose their places in line to cross.
Barcena told the audience that Mexican diplomats have met with New Democrats in the House and with Hispanic Caucus members, and have communicated their commitment to implementing the new labor law. She said with regard to enforceability, all that needs to be done is an exchange of letters between the three countries pledging that if there is a complaint, the parties will go immediately to state-to-state dispute settlement -- and keep their panel rosters filled. The U.S. blocked a panel in the state-to-state dispute settlement system under NAFTA, and there has not been a ruling under that chapter in almost 20 years.