Success in Fighting COVID-19 Depends on US-Mexico Cooperation on Essential Industries
When it comes to the scourge of the global COVID-19 pandemic, not even the world’s most robust trade partnerships are immune.
2019 was a banner year for U.S.-Mexico trade as the two countries exchanged nearly $700 billion in goods and services. Last year also saw Mexico become the U.S.’s largest commercial partner, topping Canada and China.
Yet within just a matter of weeks, massive supply chain disruptions have thrown sand in the gears of one of the most robust bilateral economic relationships in the world and threatened millions of American and Mexican jobs. One aspect of the unfolding crisis stems from the disparate approaches taken by the two countries in attempting to balance “social-distancing” measures with the necessity of preserving basic economic functions. The key disconnect comes as a result of several key sectors designated as “essential” functions or services under the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidance in the U.S. being deemed “non-essential” in Mexico.
It’s not a challenge unique to Mexico or the U.S. as governments around the world struggle to strike the right balance on these issues. But the sheer magnitude, success, and importance of the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship makes the stakes much higher than the average commercial partnership. Misaligned policy in the short-term is likely to produce serious long-term consequences at a time when the two countries need each other more than ever.
Read more: https://riograndeguardian.com/herrington-success-in-fighting-covid-19-depends-on-us-mx-cooperation-on-essential-industries/
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the Latin America Group is mostly your territory--I just pop in for the occasional visit. I have a few media sources in my database that provide some coverage concerning the Latin American countries. 