Mexico City — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has strongly rejected the US government’s decision to build a new section of border wall in New Mexico, calling the move a “unilateral decision” that undermines cooperation between the two countries.

"They're building it on their own. We don't support the wall. We've achieved a safe border through cooperation and coordination, not walls," Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference Friday, reiterating Mexico’s longstanding position that walls are not a sustainable solution to border security.

Sheinbaum stressed that Mexico has not contributed any funding toward the new stretch of barrier, which the Trump administration began constructing this week along a secondary border fence between Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and Ciudad Juarez in northern Mexico. The project includes 9.6 kilometers of 9-meter-high steel posts, reinforcing an older 5.5-meter fence.

The Mexican president framed the new wall segment as part of a broader trend of unilateral US actions targeting Mexico, highlighting Trump’s recent decision to impose a 17% tariff on fresh tomatoes from Mexico and an upcoming 30% tariff on a wider range of goods from both Mexico and the European Union starting August 1.

In a letter posted to Truth Social, Trump claimed the new tariffs were justified by the continued flow of fentanyl into the US, using the same justification he cited earlier this year for a separate 25% tariff on Mexican imports.

Sheinbaum, however, argued that punitive measures like tariffs and physical barriers “do not solve the underlying issues” and only strain relations between key trading partners.

"We prefer cooperation, development and respect for the millions of Mexicans living and working in the United States," she said, underscoring Mexico’s commitment to diplomacy over confrontation.

Diplomatic Pushback

This week, Mexico’s foreign ministry also sent a formal diplomatic note to Washington expressing concern about reports that the US is considering a new military base near the border — another step Mexican officials fear could heighten tensions further.

Despite recent friction, Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico will continue to protect its nationals amid ongoing immigration raids and aggressive deportation efforts under the Trump administration.

"Walls are not the answer. Dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect are," Sheinbaum concluded.

Originally reported by The Hans India.