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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 17 december 2019

U.S., Mexico quickly mend rift over North American trade deal

By LUIS ALONSO LUGO and Friday when the U.S. pub- cials could roam the coun-
PAUL WISEMAN lished the implementing try, inspecting factories to
The Associated Press legislation for the U.S.-Mex- make sure Mexico was liv-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The ico-Canada Agreement — ing up to commitments to
United States and Mexico the legal text of the pact let workers organize unions
moved quickly Monday that the U.S. Congress will and bargain for higher
to defuse a dispute over vote on. wages and better working
President Donald Trump's Over the weekend, Mexi- conditions.
revamped North American co's top trade negotiator, Seade took to Twitter de-
trade pact. Jesús Seade, complained clare: "Mexico will NEVER
At issue are five labor at- that Mexico had been accept them if it is in any
taches the United States in- blindsided by the provision way about disguised in-
tends to send to Mexico to on the attaches. spectors, for one simple
oversee the Mexican gov- All along, Mexican nego- reason: Mexican law pro-
ernment's labor reforms. tiators have rejected the hibits it."
Those plans were revealed idea that American offi- It was unclear what Mexico Jesus Seade, Mexican undersecretary to North America, is
followed by journalists as he leaves following a meeting with U.S.
Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in Washington, Monday,
Dec. 16, 2019.
Associated Press
could actually do about surge in trade between the
the attaches: Its Senate three countries. But Trump
had already ratified the and other critics said it cost
trade agreement. Seade the United States jobs by
said the U.S. attaches were encouraging factories to
not mentioned in the pact move south of the border
the Mexicans had agreed to take advantage of low-
to. wage Mexican laborers,
"My suspicion is that these who were largely prevent-
attaches will take a big- ed from forming indepen-
picture view and focus on dent unions.
egregious situations and Trump demanded a re-
point those out and give write and strong-armed
notice to the Mexican Mexico and Canada into
government,'' said Miguel going along and signing
Noyola, a partner at Baker USMCA. But the revamped
& McKenzie LLP, who spe- regional trade deal needs
cializes in business in Mex- to be approved by the U.S.
ico and Latin America. "I Congress, and Democrats
don't think they will just be in the House demanded
going on fishing expedi- — and got — beefed-up
tions.'' language meant to ensure
And Seade, after meeting that Mexico goes through
with Lighthizer in Washing- with promised labor re-
ton Monday, told reporters: forms, including those de-
"I am satisfied. And I called signed to encourage inde-
the authorities in Mexico, pendent unions.
and they are satisfied." Daniel Ujczo, chair of the
Earlier, Mexican Foreign international practice at
Minister Marcelo Ebrard Dickinson Wright PLLC in
minimized the dispute say- Columbus, Ohio, said there
ing that the pact remained was "some theater in all of
ïntact'' and Mexico did not this as a result of the Demo-
feel tricked by the provision crats taking victory laps last
on the attaches. week. It is making it difficult
The USMCA replaces the for Mexico to save face in
25-year-old North Ameri- light of some significant,
can Free Trade Agreement, yet necessary, concessions
which tore down most to get the deal done.'' It
trade barriers between the was, he said, "necessary
United States, Canada and for Mexico to show some
Mexico. NAFTA triggered a pushback.''q