Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 8/23/18

Optimism continues to run high that negotiators from the U.S. and Mexico will announce a breakthrough in wrapping up bilateral issues in the NAFTA talks as soon as today.

Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo suggested Wednesday that a solution could be hours away. Jesús Seade, Mexican President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador's top NAFTA negotiator, said it could be today or next week, as Mexican and U.S. negotiators are "working on the last points."

Both officials' remarks came a day after POLITICO reported that the Trump administration had scheduled time today for an announcement that Mexico and the U.S. have reached a "handshake" deal, which would clear the way for Canada to return to the negotiating table. Guajardo will return for more talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer at 10 a.m. today, so any formal update will likely come in the afternoon.

Getting Canada into the mix: Seade was hopeful that a three-way NAFTA deal could be done by next week. Reaching an agreement in principle between the U.S., Mexico and Canada by then "is an objective, a target," the former WTO official said as he exited a five-hour, high-level meeting with Lighthizer on Wednesday.

"I wouldn't bet my right hand, but I'd bet money," Seade told reporters.

Canada, which has not participated in talks over the last month, must still resolve outstanding issues with the U.S., such as dairy access, and give its blessing to certain U.S.-Mexico provisions.

Crunching numbers: Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto's last full day in office is Nov. 30, which is 100 days from today. Under U.S. trade promotion authority, Trump must give 90 days' notice before signing an agreement he wants to submit to Congress for a straight up-or-down vote, without any amendments. That means the three countries must reach an agreement by Aug. 31 or Sept. 1 if they hope to get it signed by Peña Nieto before he leaves office.