Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has criticised the United States for what she called an “exaggerated” response after Washington suspended cattle imports from Mexico over concerns about the flesh-eating screwworm pest.
Speaking during her daily press briefing on Thursday, Sheinbaum said the U.S. decision to halt cross-border cattle trade was disproportionate to the actual risk. “From our point of view, it is a totally exaggerated decision to close the border again,” she stated.
The U.S. government issued the suspension after detecting a case of the screwworm near the U.S.-Mexico border, raising biosecurity concerns. However, President Sheinbaum argued that the decision was made based on a single, isolated case.
The flesh-eating screwworm, a parasitic insect that targets warm-blooded animals, poses a serious risk to livestock health. It has been the focus of longstanding bilateral eradication efforts between the two countries.
While U.S. authorities have yet to respond to Sheinbaum’s comments, the suspension is expected to impact Mexico’s livestock industry and could strain broader agricultural trade between the neighbouring nations.
