Discussion Questions
- What is the most devastating effect of NAFTA?
- What is the solution for Mexican farmers?
- How has the USMCA changed NAFTA’s original negotiations, and how has this affected Mexico?
- How has NAFTA affected U.S.-Mexico relations?
- What will. U.S.-Mexico relations look like in the future?
- What are the positives and negatives of NAFTA?
- How and why has NAFTA contributed to Mexican immigration to the U.S. and how has this affected relations between the countries?
- How can small business owners recover from large corporations gaining traction in Mexico?
- Why did NAFTA contribute to an obesity epidemic in Mexico, what is the relationship between agriculture and obesity?
- How has Mexico’s infrastructure transformed since NAFTA?
Digital Resources
Bill Clinton’s Remarks on signing NAFTA:
Clinton, Bill. “December 8, 1993: Remarks on the Signing of NAFTA.” Miller Center, Miller Center, 4 May 2017, millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/december-8-1993-remarks-signing-nafta.
Mexico’s Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo gives his opinion on President Donald Trump and NAFTA:
Guajardo, Ildefonso. “Mexico’s Economy Minister Guajardo on Nafta, Trade, Trump.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 2017, www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2017-02-27/mexico-s-economy-minister-guajardo-on-nafta-trade-trump.
This source, from NPR, provides the personal experiences of Mexican farmers following NAFTA.
Fromartz, Kristina Johnson and Samuel. “NAFTA’s ‘Broken Promises’: These Farmers Say They Got The Raw End Of Trade Deal.” NPR, NPR, 7 Aug. 2017, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/08/07/541671747/nafta-s-broken-promises-these-farmers-say-they-got-the-raw-end-of-trade-deal.
Another valuable source, from the New York Times, reports on how obesity in Mexico was an unintended consequence of NAFTA.
Jacobs, Andrew, and Matt Richtel. “A Nasty, Nafta-Related Surprise: Mexico’s Soaring Obesity.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Dec. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/health/obesity-mexico-nafta.html.
From PBS News, an explanation on the difference between NAFTA and the USMCA:
“How the USMCA Trade Deal Differs from NAFTA — and How It Doesn’t.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 10 Dec. 2019, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-the-usmca-trade-deal-differs-from-nafta-and-how-it-doesnt.