IN THESE pages on January 3 I documented how a firm, direct and principled stance by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, avoiding rhetoric and insults but refusing to give ground to threats, had persuaded the then US president-elect to back down and hold a respectful conversation with the Mexican leader.

This however did not prevent Donald Trump, in the days following his January 20 inauguration, from resorting once again to intemperate threats of tariffs and even military intervention against “terrorist” drug cartels. He did moreover act on his threat of forcible deportation of “illegal” migrants. He also once again said he would impose 25 per cent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, beginning in a matter of days.

Mexico indicated that it would only accept Mexican citizens and they must be handed over with respect for their human rights; deportees of other nationalities must be returned directly to their countries of origin. US military aircraft would not be allowed to enter Mexican airspace, and one was refused landing permission at the last minute. Mexico would receive its returning citizens as heroes and give them immediate access to all its social programmes.