Donald Trump has unleashed another bizarre social media rant accusing Mexico of violating an 80-year-old treaty. The US President’s unhinged tirade claimed his southern neighbour was “stealing” water from Texan farmers and even used more tariffs and potential sanctions as threats to fall in line with his demands.
Trumps rant hit out at the 1944 Water Treaty which requires Mexico to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water over five years cycles to the US. The American President furiously claimed “Mexico OWES Texas 1.3 million acre-feet of water” adding it was “very unfair, and it is hurting South Texas Farmers very badly”.
One acre-foot is enough to fill half an Olympic-sized pool and this water is sent to the US through interconnected dams and reservoirs. Trump claimed this treaty violation was the reason behind Texas’ last sugar mill shutting down last year “because Mexico has been stealing the water from Texas Farmers”.
He added: “Ted Cruz has been leading the fight to get South Texas the water it is owed, but Sleepy Joe refused to lift a finger to help the Farmers.
“THAT ENDS NOW! I will make sure Mexico doesn’t violate our Treaties, and doesn’t hurt our Texas Farmers. Just last month, I halted water shipments to Tijuana until Mexico complies with the 1944 Water Treaty.”
Trump issued a new ultimatum for Mexico, in a scathing Truth Social post, just a day after he announced a 90-day pause on most of his global tariffs. Despite this, the Republican used his market shaking levies as a threat, in his latest outburst.
The President said: “My Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, is standing up for Texas Farmers, and we will keep escalating consequences, including TARIFFS and, maybe even SANCTIONS, until Mexico honors the Treaty, and GIVES TEXAS THE WATER THEY ARE OWED!”
The current five-year cycle is set to end in October but Mexico has only delivered 488,634 acre-feet of water since October 2020, according to the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum pleaded her nation had complied “to the extent water is available” during a three-year drought. Sheinbaum added that she has instructed government officials “to immediately contact” the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of State.
She said: “I am confident that, as on other issues, an agreement will be reached.” Mexican officials have reportedly been scrambling to come up with a solution to the new ultimatum in time.
This could put the Mexican government at risk of clashing with it’s northern states, who closely guard their water supply for agriculture.
Mexico’s National Guard fought with farmers – who were armed with sticks and rocks – at the Boquilla dam in Chihuahua, in 2020, over water deliveries to Texas. The fierce clash left one protester dead.
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