Mexico disagrees with US suspension of Mexican cattle imports over screwworm
MEXICO CITY, May 12 (Reuters) - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday that her nation did not agree with the U.S.' decision to suspend Mexican imports of cattle, horses and bison over the presence of the New World screwworm, adding that Mexico had shown collaboration in eradicating the pest.
On Sunday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said she was suspending such imports through the southern U.S. border, with her agency adding the suspension would be in place on a "month-by-month" basis.
Mexican Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegue said the measure would only be in place for 15 days, which Sheinbaum repeated in her regular press conference on Monday.
"Minister Berdegue has already spoken with (Rollins) and proposed that it would only last 15 days to keep working, and we hope that this measure, which we consider unfair, will be lifted very soon," Sheinbaum said.
The U.S. and Mexico had reached an agreement last month on the handling of the damaging pest, which can infest livestock and wildlife and carry maggots that burrow into the skin of living animals, causing serious and often fatal damage.
The U.S. said the efforts were not enough, which Sheinbaum rebuffed.
"We can't be rushing to react to whatever's said that day, especially from the U.S. agriculture secretary," Sheinbaum said. "Mexico is no one's pinata."
The president added that she hoped the suspension would not represent a significant economic hit to Mexico, given the assumption that it should last 15 days.
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