Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, Pemex’s watery oil and Mexico’s poor standing on a global corruption index were among the issues President Claudia Sheinbaum was asked about at her Wednesday morning press conference.
As usual, Sheinbaum held her mañanera in the National Palace in the historic center of Mexico City, the seat of executive power and the president’s residence.
Mexico to send letter to US to set out case against steel tariffs
Sheinbaum told reporters that her government would send a letter to its United States counterpart presenting its argument against the tariffs the U.S. intends to impose on all steel and aluminum imports starting March 12.
“We’re going to send information to the White House about what was presented [by Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard] yesterday, … a missive … to show President Trump that in the particular case of steel and aluminum they export more [to us] than we export [to them],” she said.
“… In this case, the United States has a surplus. So it’s not advisable for the United States to put steel and aluminum tariffs on Mexico,” Sheinbaum added.
Ebrard said Tuesday that he would personally present Mexico’s argument to Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for Commerce Secretary, and Jamieson Greer, the prospective U.S. trade representative, next week.
Sheinbaum said Wednesday that the economy minister has already “had conversations” with Lutnick, “even though he is not [yet] ratified by the Senate.”
Sheinbaum: Watery oil problem to be resolved within 10 days
The Bloomberg news agency reported on Monday that “U.S. oil refiners along the Gulf Coast are snubbing shipments from Mexico and instead turning to Colombia and Canada amid complaints that Petróleos Mexicanos [Pemex] is increasingly delivering crude that’s unfit to make gasoline and diesel.”
“Refiners in Texas and Louisiana are demanding discounts and repeatedly complaining about the high water content in crude currently coming from Mexico, according to people with knowledge of the situation,” Bloomberg said.
Sheinbaum said Wednesday that water in crude is a “normal” occurrence that affects “a lot of oil companies” around the world.
“There is a way to resolve it,” the president added.
“… There are technical mechanisms that allow the water to be removed … and that’s what Pemex is doing,” Sheinbaum said.
“… They will resolve [the problem] in the next 10 days,” she said.
Sheinbaum said that an offshore platform that supplies crude to the Olmeca Refinery on the Tabasco coast is among those that have a watery oil problem.
Citing its sources, Bloomberg said that Mexico’s “flagship Maya crude is being delivered with as much as 6% of water content, or six times more than the industry standard.”
Pemex CEO Víctor Rodríguez Padilla told the president’s mañanera that the state oil company has a “very temporary” salt and water problem.
“None of our ships has been rejected,” he said, although he acknowledged that refiners have complained.
He said that Pemex has been penalized for supplying watery oil but only “in cents” of the regular price paid for crude.
‘Privileges are over, corruption is over’
“Fortunately, the perception of the [Mexican] people is different,” Sheinbaum said when asked about Mexico dropping 14 places to 140th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index.
“How can it be explained that tax collection almost doubled from 2018 to 2024 without a fiscal reform? Privileges are over, corruption is over. There are still spaces where we can continue saving resources, but there was very significant progress,” she said, referring to the six years former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador was in office.
“… What there is is regime change — from a regime of corruption and privileges [before 2018] to a regime of honesty and service to the people. And we’re going to continue,” Sheinbaum said.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
