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Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advised Mexico to act in unity and "not fall into the trap" in the face of pressure from Washington regarding the review of the trade agreement with the United States and Canada (USMCA), which governs economic exchanges between the three North American nations.
Trudeau's statement occurred this Friday at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, where he participated as a speaker at the annual 'Mexico Siglo XXI' meeting hosted by the Telmex Telcel Foundation, owned by Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim.
When asked during his presentation about how to face a "bully" at the international negotiating table, the former Prime Minister noted that in his career he learned the importance of "de-escalating, staying calm, and not falling into the trap or into provocations" when faced with unilateral stances or demands.
Trudeau recalled the pressure on the agreement in 2018 and how "Canada simply walked away from the deal" to avoid yielding to impositions from the neighboring country.
"Walking away from the deal, even if it might hurt, was very important; that is what we did, and six months later we reached a much better agreement," the Canadian leader emphasized, assuring that "that is what the Government of Canada is doing right now" in trade negotiations.
The politician also recalled that during the complex negotiations that gave rise to the trilateral pact in 2018, Ottawa and Mexico City worked extremely closely to prevent external pressure from fragmenting the bloc and to guarantee a fair framework for the entire region.
"There is no such thing as a win-lose in international politics," stated Trudeau, adding that when a deal does not benefit all countries involved, "there are consequences that cause the winner to end up losing."
Trudeau highlighted the historic bilateral cooperation by ensuring that Canadian and Mexican governments "always work together and in a very positive way" to shield North America's economic dynamism against protectionism.
"You will be capable of continuing to stay strong, protecting and improving the success of all three countries," affirmed Trudeau, who appeared hopeful regarding the current international context.
Following the formal start of the first USMCA review on July 1, 2026, the trilateral negotiations have fractured due to the United States' decision to deny the automatic extension of the pact for 16 years and instead activate a mechanism for annual reviews to demand further concessions.
The process is going through its most critical moment, following the collapse of talks between Washington and Ottawa, triggered by the United States' imposition of 50% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and the subsequent reciprocal response from Mark Carney.
Meanwhile, Claudia Sheinbaum's Mexican government has opted to maintain bilateral dialogue to protect the legal certainty of its exports before the fourth round of negotiations in Washington.
[Publicidad]