With the migrant march from South America, mostly Hondurans, gaining more media attention, it is also important to revisit last year’s threats -from Mexican officials- which preceded their current year complicity.

♦  In August of 2017 President Trump and Commerce Secretary Ross were discussing their trade efforts within NAFTA and renegotiation with Mexico/Canada on a trilateral basis.  However, the U.S. administration said if it doesn’t work, they’d scrap the 3-way NAFTA deal and go one-on-one with individual bilateral agreements.  In response, Mexican Economic Minister Ildefonso Guajardo threatened to flood the U.S. with South American illegal aliens, criminals and gang members as leverage:

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico could pull back on cooperation in migration and security matters if the United States walks away from talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Mexican economy minister said in a newspaper report published on Thursday.

“If they do not treat [us] well commercially, they should not expect us to treat them well by containing the migration that comes from other regions of the world and crosses Mexico,” Guajardo said. “Or they should not expect to be treated well in collaboration with security issues in the region.” (LINK)

However, Mexican Minister Ildefonso Guarjardo’s threat was mild compared to a threat in January 2017, when another Mexican official promised to flood the U.S. with South American drugs and gang violence:

(more…)

If the news from the first round of Mexican election polling was any better we’d have to be twins to enjoy it.   Andres Obrado, a well-known Marxist who intends a government take-over of the Mexican energy sector, is holding a commanding 18-point lead.

This is excellent news for border wall enthusiasts and those who want the Trump administration to pull out of NAFTA.

Mr Obrador is the modern Mexican version of Hugo Chávez (or Nicolàs Maduro/Bernie Sanders) with a similar ideological outlook.  His resulting territorial economic policies are certain to deliver the Venezuela outcome to the Mexican people.

For American companies doing business in Mexico, an Obrador win would be the worst possible outcome.  They will lose hundreds of billions from their current Mexican investments, as President Obrador swoops in to skim (tax) corporate profits for his state-run enterprises and care for ‘his people’. However, the good news is – those U.S. multinationals will likely all return to the U.S. asap.  Lucky day, lucky day.

Funnily enough, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross must have held some insider information about this likelihood when he sheepishly hinted toward this possibility a few weeks ago.  Oh, the poor multinational critters in Wall Street are gonna have a heart attack when they see this.  Wait, wha… they did already?

MONTERREY (Reuters) – Mexican left-wing presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has an 18-point lead ahead of the July 1 election, according to a poll published on Monday that showed him with a growing advantage at the start of formal campaigning.

(more…)

“There are Trillions at Stake”… ~ CTH

By now most have become aware of the story of thousands of people from Central America, mostly Honduras, walking toward the U.S. border where they intend to gain entry into the U.S. legally or illegally.

Transparently, against mid-term elections (U.S. and Mexico), and contrast against the backdrop of Mexico’s opposition toward the Trump administration vis-a-vis NAFTA, the People Without Borders march is one big left-wing political ploy with multiple benefactors, organizers and political groups positioning for maximum ideological benefit.  Do not discount the U.S. Chamber of Commerce multinational financial alignment within this endeavor.

(Via Daily Mail) – An army of a thousand migrants from Central America are marching through Mexico to the US where they hope to get in by any means – legal or not.

The massive flood of migrants hail mostly from Honduras, where the country has become rife with gang violence and political unrest.

(more…)

Earlier today President Trump tweeted concern about the politicization of border security and the unwillingness of Mexico to confront their side of the equation.  [the three tweets from POTUS Trump follow the video snippet]

Before attending Easter Mass today, President Donald Trump briefly paused and responded to a question about his calling out Mexico for not helping the U.S. secure the border. WATCH:

(more…)

National Trade Council Director Peter Navarro appeared on CNBC, prior to today’s massive U.S. stock market increase, to discuss ongoing trade initiatives.

U.S.T.R. Robert Lighthizer is currently conducting simultaneous bilateral trade negotiations with South Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Australia, China (way-points), Japan, Mexico/Canada (NAFTA) and the European Union.

Trade talks going on with numerous countries that, for many years, have not treated the United States fairly. In the end, all will be happy!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2018

(more…)

The passage of the defense spending portion of the Omnibus bill ultimately means there will be increased demand for U.S. steel and aluminum within new defense equipment. The contracts within the procurement process will predictably require the use of U.S. parts.

Add the increase in defense spending with the pending global tariffs on steel imports, and the environment is created for foreign investment in domestic steel and metal manufacturing…. Then add into the mix the geopolitical economic relationship developed between India’s Prime Minister Modi and President Trump… And you discover the backdrop for this announcement from India owned JSW Steel:

(Reuters) – India’s JSW Steel Ltd said on Monday it would spend $500 million to build out its U.S. operations in Texas, amid heightened global trade tensions following U.S President Donald Trump’s decision to pursue steep import tariffs.

The company has signed an agreement with the Texas governor’s office, under which the governor has approved a grant worth $3.4 million to the company’s unit, the steelmaker said in a statement here.

(more…)

Sneaky.  CTH anticipated POTUS Trump would withdraw from NAFTA due to the FATAL FLAW that still remains unaddressed in all discussions.  So it came as a surprise to see reports (opaquely cited) that U.S.T.R. Lighthizer was willing to drop the U.S. firm stance on content origination rules within the auto-sector.

Why would the Trump team agree to low thresholds of U.S. auto-parts used in American cars?  It just doesn’t make sense.  Still doesn’t… but no-one’s talking right now; and clarity is impossible to find.  The bigger question remains:  Why haven’t we pulled out yet?

Perhaps the answer to that question lies in the heart of a plan concocted by a small group of conniving GOPe multinational business interests. The tricksters are creating an enticement plan to insert domestic rules on U.S. regulations into a renegotiated NAFTA draft.  The GOPe loves them some NAFTA. The GOPe will scheme to keep NAFTA.

Their current enticement plan is to work around congress, by structuring a NAFTA chapter on “rules of competitiveness”.  If the scheme works as they have outlined, many domestic regulations currently tripping up expanded U.S. business development, specifically shipping/transportation infrastructure (ports/railroads), could be reduced or eliminated by putting rules to override U.S. regulations in a final NAFTA deal.

(more…)

Earlier today President Trump hosted leadership from the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and national law enforcement officials to discuss the ongoing issues with Sanctuary Cities and immigration.

.

WHITE HOUSE – SANCTUARY CITIES ARE UNDERMINING LAW ENFORCEMENT: Sanctuary jurisdictions obstruct Federal immigration enforcement efforts and put law enforcement at greater risk.

A “sanctuary city” generally refers to a State or local jurisdiction that refuses to cooperate with Federal immigration enforcement, often by rejecting “detainer” requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and refusing to share information relating to potentially removable aliens.

(more…)

It is going to take a heck of a lot of deep-weed education to cut through the economic gaslighting of the multinational corporations, Wall Street and their purchased institutional media.  However, I give the White House team (Secretary Ross, Secretary Mnuchin, Ambassador Lighthizer and Adviser Peter Navarro) a measure of strong credit for beginning:

WHITE HOUSE:  Measurement of trade flows is usually an uncontroversial topic relegated to macroeconomic classrooms and government technocrats. Recent debates about trade policy have brought the topic out of the shadows, and we hope to clarify how economists measure trade.

Every day there are international transactions for tens of thousands of different products. Physical goods, interchangeably called merchandise, are what usually comes to mind first. However, an increasing share of international trade is in services that are not physically transported between countries—think about financial insurance, licensing of trademarks, or services like consulting.

(more…)

Justin from Canada discusses his confidence at defeating U.S. President Donald Trump over concessions in NAFTA.  Essentially Sparkle Socks argument comes down to his view that women’s rights, climate change and globally progressive policies are more than enough to swat away the territorial annoyances of President Trump.

(more…)