MEXICO CITY - President Vicente Fox refused Friday to renegotiate a provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement that requires Mexico to lift tariffs on U.S. farm products.
The tariffs are scheduled to be eliminated in January, and angry farmers have been protesting in Mexico City for weeks, arguing that they will be driven out of business and forced to migrate to the United States.
On Thursday, lawmakers supported their argument, saying they would urge Fox to maintain the tariffs.
But Fox refused to halt the changes, saying in a speech "it isn't viable or advantageous."
He argued the government had already taken several steps to help farmers compete with their U.S. counterparts, including lowering electricity rates and providing more access to credit.
"It doesn't make sense to get ourselves involved in a fight that will cost us a lot in exchange for very little," he said. "The solution is in being competitive and productive, and we have promised you this and we are taking the pertinent measures."
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