The Obama administration made a mistake by yielding to union pressure to unilaterally breach provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
The ban on Mexican trucks driving in the United States is the wrong signal to send Mexico at a time when trade between the two nations must grow in order to overcome economic problems on both sides of the border.
The Teamsters Union opposed the trucking provision from the start, alleging concerns for road safety, when in reality they only wanted to protect their own interests.
President Clinton, who signed NAFTA into law, refused to implement this measure, and President Bush managed to undertake a pilot program that lasted 18 months until President Obama cut all its funding in the budget approved days ago.
In this debate, we are concerned that negative stereotypes about Mexico are prevailing over realities. It seems people are always willing to criticize our neighbors to the south, even when there are no grounds to do so.
It should be noted that the pilot program revealed no road safety problems, as the opposition argued. Therefore, it would be logical to expand rather than eliminate it, even if this goes against the Teamsters’ position.
The White House is trying to please everyone. At the same time as it canceled the program, it indicated its interest in conducting a review to determine how to fulfill the NAFTA provision.
Our suggestion is very simple: First, rhetoric must be set aside to take an objective look at the experience of the program to date. Second, consider compliance with NAFTA as a commitment responsibly assumed and not subject to the politics of convenience. Third, put the best interests of the country above those of special interests who are only looking out for themselves, ignoring the rest.
