WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose additional 5 percent tariffs on Mexican goods if its southern neighbor does not supply water based on a bilateral treaty signed in 1944.
Mexico's continuous violation of the 1944 Water Treaty is seriously hurting Texas crops and livestock, said Trump in a post on social media.
"Mexico still owes the U.S. over 800,000 acre-feet (986.4 million cubic meters) 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 (246.6 million cubic meters) of water before December 31st, and the rest must come soon after," Trump said.
Trump said he has "authorized documentation to impose a 5 percent Tariff on Mexico if this water isn't released, IMMEDIATELY."
The United States needs to send 1.5 million acre-feet of water (1.85 billion cubic meters) annually from the Colorado River to Mexico, while Mexico is required to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet (2.2 billion cubic meters) to the United States from the Rio Grande in five-year cycles, according to the 1944 Water Treaty, also known as the Treaty on Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande.
Trump threatened Mexico with sanctions and tariffs on the matter on April 10, and then both sides announced progress at the end of April. ■
