MEXICO CITY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday called for "temperance, serenity and patience" as the United States is set to impose tariffs on Mexican imports on Tuesday.
Addressing her daily morning press conference, Sheinbaum reassured the public that her administration has multiple backup plans in place should the tariffs be imposed.
She said that recent meetings between Mexican and U.S. security and trade officials "went very well."
"We will wait and see what happens. In this situation, we must have temperance, serenity and patience," she said.
Mexico has prepared "Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and Plan D," said the president, without providing further details.
While she did not rule out speaking directly with U.S. President Donald Trump, Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico remains calm and prepared. "So whatever his decision is, we will make our decisions and there is a plan and there is unity in Mexico," she said.
She also cautioned against speculation, stressing that the decision to impose tariffs ultimately rests with the U.S. government.
Trump had previously agreed to delay a 25 percent tariff on Mexican goods for one month after Sheinbaum ordered the deployment of 10,000 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to curb drug trafficking and mass immigration.
On Sunday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed in an interview with Fox News that tariffs on Mexico and Canada are set to take effect on Tuesday. However, he noted that Trump has the final say on the tariff levels, leaving room for potential last-minute adjustments. ■
