In response to the United States’ increase in tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50%, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called the measure “unfair” and unfounded. She also announced that if she doesn’t reach an agreement with Mexico’s northern neighbor, her administration will announce some actions on the matter next week.
“We don’t agree. We don’t believe it’s fair or sustainable because it makes everything more expensive. We hope to reach an agreement. If we don’t reach an agreement, we will also announce some measures we must take, essentially to strengthen and protect jobs. This isn’t a matter of revenge, it’s a matter of protecting our jobs and our businesses,” he stressed.
At her morning press conference this Wednesday, Sheinbaum reiterated that the measures her government would implement would not be “an eye for an eye,” but rather to protect the Mexican steel industry.
The Mexican president announced that she will hold a meeting with members of the steel and aluminum chambers this Wednesday, and that Marcelo Ebrard , head of the Ministry of Economy (SE) , will also meet with U.S. trade officials.
Sheinbaum called the tariff increase on these products unfair, since “Mexico imports more steel and aluminum than it exports. Formally, tariffs are imposed when there is a deficit; in our case, we import more steel.”
He asserted that the measure also has no legal basis “because there is a trade agreement,” and added that it is unsustainable “because just as in the construction of a car there are many auto parts that pass from one side of the border to the other, in the case of steel the same.”
On June 3, Donald Trump , President of the United States, signed the executive order to increase tariffs on steel and aluminum imported into the United States, which went from 25% to 50 percent .
The new tax will apply to goods imported for consumption determined by the date of crossing, or goods imported into free trade zones starting June 4.
In response, the National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero) rejected the U.S. government’s decision and emphasized that the United States maintains a bilateral steel trade surplus with Mexico of four billion dollars (mdd) in finished products, which will increase in 2025 due to the decline in Mexican exports.
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