Trump threatens 5% tariff on Mexico over alleged violations of 1944 water treaty

US President Donald Trump has authorised a 5% tariff on Mexico if it does not release a specific amount of water in a post on Truth Social, claiming that the latter's violation of a water treaty is posing challenges to 'BEAUTIFUL TEXAS CROPS AND LIVESTOCK'.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social said, "Mexico continues to violate our comprehensive Water Treaty, and this violation is seriously hurting our BEAUTIFUL TEXAS CROPS AND LIVESTOCK."

"Mexico still owes the U.S over 800,000 acre-feet of water for failing to comply with our Treaty over the past five years. The U.S needs Mexico to release 200,000 acre-feet of water before December 31st, and the rest must come soon after," he added.

"As of now, Mexico is not responding, and it is very unfair to our U.S. Farmers who deserve this much needed water. That is why I have authorized documentation to impose a 5% Tariff on Mexico if this water isn't released, IMMEDIATELY. The longer Mexico takes to release the water, the more our Farmers are hurt. Mexico has an obligation to FIX THIS NOW. Thank you for your attention to this matter!," Trump said.

The treaty President Trump is referring to in this post was signed way back in 1944. As per its terms, Mexico has to send 1.75 m acre-feet of water to the United States from Rio Grande every five years. The agreement also says that the US has to send Mexico 1.5 m acre-feet of water every year from the Colorado River.

Earlier this year, Brooke Rollins, the agriculture secretary in the Trump cabinet, had revealed that Mexico had agreed to supply more water to Texas in order to address a shortfall, as per the 1944 treaty.

Trump had issued a similar threat against Mexico earlier in April.

While the United States has been supplying water to Mexico, droughts have hampered recent deliveries, an issue that was kept in consideration in the 1944 accord.

Mexico supplied less than 30% of mandated volume

International Boundary and Water Commission reveals that in the latest five-year cycle that ended in October, Mexico delivered less than 30% of the volume of water it was mandated to send.

However, Mexico's President, Claudia Sheinbaum, has said that her country has complied with the treaty "to the extent water is available" as the country is suffering from three back-to-back years of drought.

She also said that she has submitted a proposal on short-term steps to address the water supply issue to US officials.

Sheinbaum has also instructed her ministers of environment, agriculture. and foreign affairs to get in touch with their US counterparts regarding the issue.