As Donald Trump continues to insist on the plans to erect a wall along the Mexican border, Mexicans have begun to fume. The fuming is further catalyzed by the President’s repeated rhetoric that Mexico will play a role in financing the wall.
Politicians are still stuck in their negotiation rooms weighing their options but the regular citizens aren’t waiting. Many Mexicans have taken to social media to get even — or at least blow off some steam.
Immediately after Trump signed the executive order for constructing the wall, campaigns emerged urging the Mexicans not to buy Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Walmart and McDonald’s goods, reports CNBC.
Two trending hashtags – #AdiosProductosGringos and #AdiosStarbucks occupied a major sphere in the social space. Starbucks was quick to respond to the hashtag, saying that its division is a Mexico-owned franchise which not only features Mexican-grown coffees but also employs 7,000 Mexicans.
In addition, most consumers are of the opinion that such a boycott would be detrimental to Mexico’s economy.
While speaking to CNN, shopper Fernando Ruiz said that “The (American) companies that operate in Mexico, in reality are Mexican-owned franchises and the workers are Mexican.”
The US-Mexico relationship has ran into turmoil after Donald Trump maintained that Mexico would pay for the wall. This even led to a cancellation of a planned meeting between President Trump and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.
After reality began to sink in that Mexico may not willingly give cash into the construction, Trump’s administration floated the idea of charging a 20% import tax on goods coming from Mexico. If implemented, the move would raise about $60 billion the Southern US neighbor exports about $300 billion per year. In 2015, the US imported goods worth $303 billion from Mexico.
However, the US-Mexico trade is a complicated matter.
Most of the reputable American companies are locally-owned franchises in Mexico. Then again, research shows that about 6 million United States jobs are reliant on Mexican imports. If Mexico is taxed, it will definitely not respond kindly to US exports.
About 40% of the parts in a typical Mexican import originate in the United States. For example, before a car arrives at a local dealership, its parts criss-cross the U.S, Mexican and Canadian borders. It’s how supply chains are used today.
The other issue that has raised lots of concerns is Mr. Trump’s intentions to do away with NAFTA. Analysts suggest that if Washington does that, then Mexico may decide not to cooperate on issues such as drug trafficking and security.
At the moment, Peña Nieto is doing all he can to fully utilized the immense public support he has received from the public. Most people are agitated by Trump’s plans.
He has urged his supporters to buy “Made in Mexico” adding that the country has “the capacity to open” itself to the world and compete with best as well as “be the best in the world!”