Ms Sheinbaum (pictured) won praise at home and abroad for her handling of her mercurial American counterpart. Throughout the confrontation her demeanour was respectful but firm. When Mr Trump ordered tariffs on February 1st, she told her team to prepare countermeasures, but did not publicise the details.

In the hours before Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a 30-day pause on US President Donald Trump’s threatened 25% tariff on Canadian goods, the co-founder of one of Canada’s largest auto parts manufacturers was bewildered.