TOLUCA — Locomotives from Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) were stationed at the Toluca train station on June 2, 2026. The three countries approach a July 1 deadline to review the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

Train conductor Ariel Murguia Cervantes prepared freight train No. MJ28902 at the CPKC terminal in Toluca on the same day. Train No. MJ28902 was scheduled to carry sandwich bread to Monterrey, linoleum to Bensenville, Illinois, and car parts to Edmonton, Alberta. Personnel load and unload about 200 rail cars each day at the CPKC intermodal terminal outside Toluca, Mexico.

During his first term, Donald Trump called the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) "the worst trade deal ever made." The United States, Mexico, and Canada renegotiated NAFTA under the name USMCA. The North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico went into effect on January 1, 1994.

CPKC operates a 20,000-mile rail network from the Port of Vancouver in British Columbia to Mexican ports in Lázaro Cárdenas and Veracruz. Oscar Del Cueto, President and executive representative of CPKC de México, described the network as "The backbone of North American integration." Canada Pacific was founded in 1881, and Kansas City Southern was founded in 1887. The two companies merged in 2023 to form CPKC.

Trade between the United States, Canada, and Mexico has grown by more than 400% since the signing of NAFTA. Mexico is the United States' largest trading partner. Trade between the United States and Mexico grew from about $81 billion in 1993 to nearly $800 billion in 2023. Cargo crossing the Mexico-U.S. border by rail has doubled in volume since NAFTA began.

FIFA awarded hosting rights for the 2026 World Cup to the United States, Mexico, and Canada. "Soccer is providing an excuse for the three governments to align," said José Pablo Ampudia, Manager of Mexican government engagement for the World Cup. Former Mexican ambassador to the United States, Arturo Sarukhán, stated, "If the result of the [trade] negotiations is for things to remain the way they already are today, many business people say that's a relief."