Claudia Sheinbaum Defends Mexico As Trump Threats Cause Rift With Canada, Says Country 'Must be Respected'

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum gave a stern response to recent statements by Canadian officials seeking to differentiate Canada from Mexico on bilateral issues with the United States, particularly migration.

"We will not fall into provocations about which country is better; what matters is that Mexico must be respected, especially by our trade partners," said the recently-elected president during her regular morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City. "We are a great nation, with immense resources and challenges we are addressing, and with a promising present and future," she added.

Although her comments were not directed at any official specifically, there have been different remarks by Canadian authorities that could fit the bill. The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that during a dinner between U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canadian ambassador to the U.S. Kristen Hillman defended that the situation at the U.S. Northern border couldn't be compared to its southern counterpart.

"The message that our border is so vastly different than the Mexican border was really understood," Hillman said according to the AP.

The comments came just days after Ontario Premier Doug Ford referred to Trump's comparison of Mexico and Canada "the most insulting thing I've ever heard."

Sheinbaum said she would ensure Mexico is not used as a political tool in electoral campaigns, calling instead for collaboration and coordination on issues such as trade, economy, culture, and education within the bilateral and trilateral frameworks.

"U.S. companies investing in Mexico become more productive, generating 333 jobs in the United States for every 131 created in their Mexican affiliates," Sheinbaum noted. She also emphasized that immigrant labor in the U.S. boosts employment, pointing out that "for every ten immigrants in the U.S. workforce, between one and two jobs are created for U.S. natives."

Sheinbaum added that Mexican investment in the U.S. directly supports 123,000 jobs and warned of the economic impact if Mexican immigrants ceased consumption in the United States, estimating a contraction of 1% of U.S. GDP: