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Mexican Senate Passes New Trade Deal with US, Canada     


A carrier trailer transports Toyota cars for delivery while queuing at the Mexican border customs control to cross into the U.S.
A carrier trailer transports Toyota cars for delivery while queuing at the Mexican border customs control to cross into the U.S.

The Mexican Senate overwhelmingly ratified the new trade deal with Canada and the United States despite misgivings from liberals and tensions with the U.S. over immigration.

Lawmakers passed the measure Wednesday 114 to 4. Mexico is the first country to approve the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement — the replacement for the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement.

U.S. President Donald Trump had called NAFTA one of "the worst trade deals ever made," saying it killed U.S. jobs and gave all the advantages to Mexico.

The new agreement is almost identical to the old one. The main differences include the condition that cars exported to the U.S. must contain more U.S.-made parts, and U.S. dairy farmers will be able to sell products to Canada.

Some Mexican lawmakers say they feel Trump bullied Mexico into accepting a new trade deal, but they voted for it because they said there was no alternative.

The Canadian parliament has not voted on it yet and the agreement faces opposition in the Democratic-led U.S. House.

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