Just hours before steep tariffs on Mexican goods were set to kick in, President Claudia Sheinbaum pulled off a win. She struck a deal with President Trump to pause the tariffs for a month, giving Mexico some much-needed breathing room.

The tariffs, which would’ve slapped a 25 percent tax on Mexican exports, were delayed under a last-minute agreement. In exchange, Mexico promised to deploy 10,000 additional National Guard members to its border with the U.S. Their mission? To crack down on drug trafficking, especially fentanyl.

While the move to boost border security isn’t entirely new, it’s a relatively small concession for Mexico compared to the potential economic fallout of the tariffs. The deal was seen as a smart play by Sheinbaum, who managed to navigate a tense situation with little room for error.

Behind the scenes, the negotiations between the two leaders remain largely under wraps, but the outcome speaks for itself. For now, Mexico has avoided a full-blown trade war—and Sheinbaum’s ability to handle a major crisis has been put on full display.

The reprieve is temporary, though. The tariffs are paused until early March, leaving both countries to work out a longer-term solution. For Mexico, this month could be crucial to finding a way to keep the tariffs at bay—and keep its economy on track.