Mexico Agrees to Send Water to US After Trump Tariff Threat

Mexico has agreed to immediately send water to the United States as part of a long-standing treaty after President Donald Trump threatened punitive tariffs over delayed deliveries.

The dispute is centred around a 1944 treaty under which the US receives water from Mexico’s Rio Grande in exchange for sharing Colorado River resources.

Trump accused Mexico of violating the pact and “stealing” water from Texas farmers, escalating tensions between the two neighbours.

In response, Mexico’s foreign ministry confirmed that water would be released immediately from the Rio Grande, with additional transfers planned during the upcoming rainy season.

The ministry reaffirmed Mexico’s “firm desire” to uphold the treaty, which it said had long benefited development along its northern border.

The US State Department welcomed the move, highlighting its importance to farmers, ranchers, and communities in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley.

It also thanked Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for her role in reaching the agreement and said both countries would now collaborate on a long-term plan to fulfil future obligations and address water debts.

According to the Joint Boundary and Water Commission, Mexico still owed over 1.55 billion cubic metres of water ahead of the current treaty cycle’s expiration in October. The US had previously denied a Mexican request for special water deliveries in March due to accumulated shortfalls.

The dispute unfolded amid broader strains in US-Mexico relations, including trade tensions, immigration control, and anti-narcotics cooperation.

Water scarcity has exacerbated the situation, with the Colorado River suffering from drought and overuse in the US, while Mexico’s Rio Grande basin has endured two decades of low rainfall and severe drought conditions, especially in 2023.

In 2020, the issue turned violent when farmers in Chihuahua seized a dam to prevent Mexico’s federal government from releasing water to the US. Clashes with the National Guard led to the death of a protester, highlighting the stakes in this ongoing resource dispute.

With the latest agreement, both sides hope to avoid a similar crisis and build a sustainable path forward in the management of shared water resources.