Mexico Decries US Beef Import Ban Over Screwworm

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum described the US decision to suspend Mexican beef cattle imports for 15 days as “unfair” because screwworm was found in the shipments. The US Department of Agriculture declared the pest’s northward movement unacceptable while Secretary Brooke Rollins predicted a 30-year recovery period from previous invasions. The parasitic fly larva known as screwworm inflicts major harm to livestock and human beings while Mexico confirmed a human screwworm infection in Chiapas on April 17. Sheinbaum emphasized Mexico’s pest control measures while facing Trump’s tariff threats. The cattle industry of Mexico faces disruption because of the February ban which was implemented after new protocols were established. Sheinbaum wants to minimize economic harm to Mexico while trade tensions persist. The United States strengthened its agricultural protection measures through this action while Rollins emphasized prevention as the main goal. The Health Ministry of Mexico issued warnings while Sheinbaum’s government works with US officials to find a solution to this problem which demonstrates the complex challenge of balancing trade with biosecurity in US-Mexico relations.