The U.S. demands over 200 million cubic meters of water before the end of the year.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump authorized the imposition of a 5% tariff on Mexico if it does not immediately release 246.6 million cubic meters of water agreed under the 1944 Water Treaty.
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Trump stated that Mexico has accumulated a debt of more than 986.4 million cubic meters over the past five years, which severely impacts crops and livestock in Texas. He urged the Mexican government to resolve the situation “immediately” to prevent further damage to the U.S. agricultural sector.
The warning came after a meeting at the White House with agricultural leaders from South Texas, Governor Greg Abbott, and Republican Senator Ted Cruz. They pressure Mexico to comply with the 1944 agreement that regulates the Colorado, Bravo, and Conchos rivers.
The Water Treaty stipulates that the U.S. must release 1.85 billion cubic meters of water annually from the Colorado River to Mexico, while Mexico must release 2.185 billion cubic meters from the Bravo River in five-year cycles, which guarantees water balance.
🚨WATER IS NOW A TRADE WEAPON.
The U.S. says Mexico must deliver 200,000 acre-feet of water by Dec 31
or face a 5% tariff on Jan 1.Texas has already seen farms fail, mills close, and industries collapse because of the shortage.
But the real story?
This sets a global… pic.twitter.com/5wzYODkdL4
— wealthmoose (@wealthmoose) December 9, 2025
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins acknowledged that the agricultural sector is facing a crisis “worse than any experienced” by most farmers. Meanwhile, Trump announced at the White House a US$12 billion bailout for farmers, funded by the Department of Agriculture.
Trump insisted that Mexico is not responding and therefore authorized documentation to impose an additional 5% tariff if the water is not released. He demanded more than 200 million cubic meters of water before the end of the year.
In April, Rollins confirmed that Mexico agreed to increase water shipments to Texas to reduce the deficit in the 1944 Treaty, but later Mexico argued that it was facing severe drought conditions that limited its water resources.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | In Mexico, remittance income from the United States continues to decline, according to a report from the bank. These figures are partly the result of the immigration policies implemented by President Donald Trump and the trade war. pic.twitter.com/NJ0qZ805Zz
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 5, 2025
teleSUR: JP
Source: EFE – La Jornada
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