Trump administration pressures Mexico to comply with pending water deliveries
Since his return to the White House, Donald Trump has demanded that the Mexican government comply with its water delivery obligations
The Trump administration pressured Mexico to comply with the water quotas stipulated in the 1944 Treaty, whose deficit at the end of the 2020-2025 five-year cycle amounts to more than 1 billion cubic meters of water.
According to the State Department, Mexico must comply with its obligations under the bilateral treaty on international waters, which obligates the neighboring country to deliver water from the Rio Grande basin.
“Under the leadership and direction of President Trump, senior officials from the State Department, the Department of Agriculture, and the International Boundary and Water Commission met with their Mexican counterparts to discuss the immediate and concrete measures Mexico must take to reduce the water supply deficit and ensure compliance with the 1944 Water Treaty,” the statement reads.
The officials, it asserts, examined available water resources, and the United States pressed for the maximum possible amount to be supplied to users in Texas. We have requested additional information and will meet again to consider other options.
The Trump administration argues that, due to the Mexican government's noncompliance with the 1944 Treaty, the state of Texas is suffering from a water shortage that is significantly impacting agriculture and the economy of the state that borders Mexico. Months ago, the administration even hinted at the possibility of imposing tariffs because of the situation.
While the Trump administration acknowledged that Mexico has supplied more water in the last year than in the previous four years combined, the shortfall in Mexico's water supply has exacerbated the water scarcity in Texas and contributed to crop losses worth hundreds of millions of dollars for farmers.
Therefore, it asserts, Donald Trump and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, have made it clear that Mexico must comply with its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty.“We remain committed to working with Mexico to resolve this issue through diplomatic channels, while continuing to evaluate all available options to ensure that Mexico meets its water supply obligations.”

