President Donald Trump accused Mexico on Monday of violating a 1944 treaty by withholding water owed to Texas farmers, threatening to impose an additional 5% tariff if the nation doesn't immediately comply.
Under the U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty, Mexico must send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. from the Rio Grande River through a network of dams and reservoirs every five years.
But Trump wrote on Truth Social that Mexico "owes" the U.S. 800,000 acre-feet because of treaty violations during the past five years.
"Mexico continues to violate our comprehensive Water Treaty, and this violation is seriously hurting our BEAUTIFUL TEXAS CROPS AND LIVESTOCK," Trump wrote.
"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," he added.
Trump demanded Mexico release 200,000 acre-feet of water before Dec. 31, "and the rest must come soon after."
"As of now, Mexico is not responding, and it is very unfair to our U.S. Farmers who deserve this much needed water," Trump wrote.
"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 made a similar complaint about Mexico's noncompliance with the treaty in an April 10 Truth Social post.
Later that month, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that Mexico agreed to increase water shipments to Texas to help make up a shortfall under the treaty.
She said the agreement solidified a plan for immediate and short-term water relief to meet the needs of Texas farmers and ranchers for the growing season, including water releases and continued commitments through the end of the five-year cycle, which was October.
Last month, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, "Mexico must be held accountable for their continued breaches of our long-standing water agreement.
"Because of their pattern of neglect, Texas farmers are enduring preventable hardship and an erosion of the agricultural viability of the Rio Grande Valley," Abbott said in a statement.
"The significant economic loss from Mexico's failure to supply more than two years' worth of water obligations — almost 2 million acre-feet — has had a severe negative impact on Texas' agricultural industry. The breach of the 1944 Water Treaty violates foundational elements of international law and diplomacy and must be corrected immediately."
According to the treaty, the U.S. is required to send 1.5 million acre-feet of water annually from the Colorado River to Mexico, and Mexico is required to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet from the Rio Grande in five-year cycles.
The most recent cycle ended with less than half of Mexico's required quota delivered.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Oct. 30 that her country will comply with the treaty.
"There will be a delivery of water now that there are more resources, without putting human consumption and agriculture at risk," she said, according to El País.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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