Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's steps to roll back reforms aimed at opening Mexico's power and oil markets to foreign competitors ultimately sparked the trade dispute. The steps add to a significant worsening of trade relations between Washington and Mexico City, even as their economic integration grows. Like the energy policies, Washington argues that banning GMO corn for human and animal consumption violates Mexico's obligations under the trade pact. The White House has hoped to avoid escalating energy trade tensions with Mexico as it sought help on immigration and drug trafficking, but talks that began last year have made little progress. In 2022, Mexico had a $130.5 billion goods trade surplus with the United States.

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Persons: Katherine Tai, Tatiana Clouthier, Trade Mary Ng, Joe Biden's, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's, USTR, Obrador, Biden, Donald Trump, Jarrett Renshaw, David Lawder, Stephen Eisenhammer, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Trade, Small Business, Export, Washington, United States Trade Representative, United, Chevron, Marathon Petroleum, Comision Federal, Mexico, Ministry, U.S, North American Free Trade, Thomson Locations: Mexican, United States, Mexico, Canada, Mexico City, U.S, United States Mexico Canada, USMCA, Washington, China, Washington's