Mexico questions U.S. cattle ban

Alsharq Tribune-AFP 

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday criticized the U.S. decision to keep its border closed to Mexican cattle over a screwworm outbreak, saying the measure lacks a clear scientific basis and may be politically motivated.

The pest was detected in southern Mexico -- more than 1,000 km from the northern cattle-producing states affected by the U.S. restriction, said Sheinbaum at her daily press conference, urging Washington to clarify the health criteria justifying the continued ban.

"This seems more political. In some cases, it could be interpreted as a political issue against Mexico, but let's not forget there's a U.S. election coming up in a year," she said.

She also criticized certain U.S. political figures for treating Mexico as a "pinata" during election campaigns and warned against using bilateral issues for domestic political gain.

Despite the criticism, Sheinbaum said that Mexico's Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegue is in discussion with his U.S. counterpart, Brooke Rollins, to advance negotiations and prevent further restrictions on cattle exports.

Sheinbaum also confirmed that the United States has agreed to invest 30 million U.S. dollars in a sterile fly production facility in Mexico -- a key biological tool in the fight against the screwworm. The plant is expected to be completed in under a year.