April 12 (UPI) — Mexico plans to deliver water to farmers in drought-stricken Texas, one day after President Donald Trump threatened tariffs and sanctions for not providing water from the Rio Grande River promised under a 1944 treaty.
The United States’ southern neighbor owes 1.3 million acre-feet of water after sending only 512,604, which is 30% of the required amount every five years.
“For Texas farmers who are requesting water, there will be an immediate delivery of a certain number of millions of cubic meters that can be provided according to the water availability in the Rio Grande,” Sheinbaum told reporters Friday.
On Thursday, Trump brought attention to the issue, which has been boiling since March.
“This is very unfair, and it is hurting South Texas Farmers very badly,” Trump posted Thursday on Truth Social. “Last year, the only Sugar Mill in Texas CLOSED, because Mexico has been stealing the water from Texas Farmers. Ted Cruz has been leading the fight to get South Texas the water it is owed, but Sleepy Joe refused to lift a finger to help the Farmers. THAT ENDS NOW!
“I will make sure Mexico doesn’t violate our Treaties, and doesn’t hurt our Texas Farmers. Just last month, I halted water shipments to Tijuana until Mexico complies with the 1944 Water Treaty. My Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, is standing up for Texas Farmers, and we will keep escalating consequences, including TARIFFS and, maybe even SANCTIONS, until Mexico honors the Treaty, and GIVES TEXAS THE WATER THEY ARE OWED!” Trump posted.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reposted Trump’s post and spoke about the issue on his podcast Friday.
Over each five-year cycle since the treaty was signed, Mexico must send 1.75 million acre-feet from the Rio Grande — the latest cycle ended in October. In return, the United States sends 1.5 million acre-feet of water yearly to Mexico from the Colorado River.
An acre-foot of water is about 325,000 gallons, equivalent to an acre of land flooded with water one foot deep.
On Thursday, Sheinbaum posted in Spanish on X that a comprehensive proposal has already been sent to the undersecretary of the U.S. Department of State.
“This has been three years of drought, and to the extent water is available, Mexico has been complying,” she wrote. “The International Boundary and Water Commission has continued its work to identify mutually beneficial solutions. … I am confident that, as with other issues, an agreement will be reached.”
The Rio Grande River is 1,990 miles long and provides water to approximately 6 million people, with nearly 80% of it used for irrigation in the U.S. and Mexico, according to the Rio Gande International Study Center. It is one of the 10 Most Endangered Rivers in the World, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
The Rio Grande flows through Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. In Mexico, the basin spans Durango, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.
Texas is highly dependent on water for farming, especially as the state has been experiencing a drought. Texas is the third-largest grower of citrus in the country, behind California and Florida.
On March 20, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs denied a request from Mexico to deliver water to Tijuana. The agency is part of the U.S. Department of State.
“Mexico’s continued shortfalls in its water deliveries under the 1944 water-sharing treaty are decimating American agriculture — particularly farmers in the Rio Grande valley,” the agency posted on X. “As a result, today for the first time, the U.S. will deny Mexico’s non-treaty request for a special delivery channel for Colorado River water to be delivered to Tijuana.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas applauded the decision, and described a water situation as a “man-made crisis.”
“This option is absolutely what the Trump administration needs to pressure Mexico to fulfill its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty,” Cruz wrote on X. “Texas farmers are in crisis because of Mexico’s noncompliance. I will work with the Trump administration to pressure Mexico into complying and to get water to Texas farmers.”
On March 19, he hosted farmers and ranchers across the Rio Grande Valley with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
“Their situation is dire,” he posted on X. “Mexico is refusing to comply with its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty to provide water from the Rio Grande to the US, even while we go above and beyond our own obligations to give Mexico water. The effects on Texas have been catastrophic.”
He plans to introduce legislation in the Senate to impose sanctions on Mexico and withhold aid over noncompliance, as he did during the previous Congress.
Last month, Rollins toured the Rio Grande Valley and announced a $280 million federal block grant to help those affected by water shortages.
Chihuahua’s tributaries feed the Rio Grande as it flows toward South Texas. The area has substantially expanded nut tree farms.
“Chihuahua consumes a lot of water,” she said at a news conference. “We need to make irrigation more efficient so that not so much water is used. In fact, they have wells that are unregulated.”
Mexico, like other nations worldwide, has been slapped with tariffs on products shipped to the United States.
Initially, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on all exports except those that comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. He then narrowed it to steel, aluminum and autos manufactured in Mexico, although he did not impose a 10% baseline like most U.S. trading partners were hit with.
“I think there has been a respectful relationship and that has allowed us to have good communication with the United States and Trump,” Sheinbaum said on Friday. “We always demand respect and offer respect to the United States, and that has allowed for dialogue.”