Trump-Mexico Feud: Support For Mexican President Obrador Rises After Tariff Threat

As Trump announced last week that he is planning to slap tariffs of 5% on Mexican imports to the United States, Mexicans have rallied around their President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The results of a poll done by Mexican newspaper called El Financiero showed that Obrador's approval rating rose to 72% from 67% prior to Trump's announcement. The poll surveyed 400 Mexicans.

Trump plans to impose the tariffs of 5% by June 10 to stem illegal immigration from Mexico. If Trump isn't satisfied with Mexico's policy on immigration by October, he could raise the rates to 25%.

"We are carrying out our responsibility in immigration policy," Obrador said in response to the tariff threat last week. "We have to help so that they don't enter the United States illegally, but we also have to do it respecting human rights." Obrador has offered no new measures to stem illegal immigration in response to Trump's tariff threat.

Obrador has suggested using "forceful measures" in response to the Trump tariffs, which could hurt U.S. farmers and parts of the country that support Trump's Republican party.

Republicans in the U.S. Senate have been threatening a revolt against the tariffs, Politico reported. Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell (R-KY.) has said that there is "not much support" among Republicans for the tariffs against Mexico. "A lot of Republicans in the Senate are tariff weary. It's like: anything but tariffs," Sen.Kevin Cramer (R.-ND) said about Trump's proposal.

In response, Trump said it would be "foolish" for the Republican senators to block the Mexico tariffs.

Obrador begin his term as President of Mexico in December 2018 after a landslide victory, where he promoted increased social spending, ending the war on drugs and slashing the salaries of politicians.