The transfer of 29 drug traffickers to the United States on February 27 is a sign that the Mexican government remains firm in its commitment to secure the northern border and reduce drug trafficking, which was one of the agreements reached by both countries to stop for one month the 25% tariffs proposed by US President Donald Trump , and that if materialized, one of the first effects would be the depreciation of the peso .

This was the opinion of Jesús Carrillo , director of Economics at the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) , who indicated that these tariffs are being negotiated in conjunction with a multiple agenda on security and immigration.

On February 27, the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the Secretariat of Public Safety and Citizen Protection (SSPC) reported that 29 people who were being held in various penitentiary centers in Mexico were transferred to the United States and were wanted by the government of our northern neighbor for their links to criminal organizations for drug trafficking and other crimes. Among those transferred was Rafael Caro Quintero.

It is worth remembering that one of the commitments that Mexico assumed, which led to the suspension of the 25% tariffs on various Mexican products on February 3, was to send 10,000 members of the National Guard to the northern border in order to stop illegal migration and drug trafficking to the United States.

On reciprocal tariffs , the specialist explained that what Trump is saying is that he is going to take imbalances in terms of the Value Added Tax (VAT) as if it were a tariff and impose it in retaliation, “or that if other countries impose retaliatory measures then he is going to raise them more. I think what he simply means is that this is a tariff war.”

In this regard, Jesús Carrillo pointed out that the US president is threatening to use more force in terms of trade, which is why his response to other governments in the world always carries a charge of aggression.

If implemented, the impact of the tariffs scheduled for March 4 would be significant, since in 2024 alone, Mexico exported more than 600 billion dollars (mdd) to the entire world and 80% of that total went to the United States.

“We are talking about almost 500 billion dollars, for sure. So, first of all, the first thing that will happen is that the currency will depreciate, and if the currency depreciates, everything we import will be more expensive, so it can hit inflation,” he stressed.

Another implication is that economic activity will slow down because “products on that side of the border will also become more expensive and therefore consumers will demand less. If they demand less, then we have to produce less and it is a vicious circle,” he said in an interview with T21 .

Tariffs on steel and aluminum

Carrillo pointed out that the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports by the United States include a long list of diverse products such as automotive parts, appliance parts, air conditioners, among others, particularly aluminum.

The tariff rate is expected to come into effect on March 12, after Donald Trump signed executive orders on this measure on February 10.

The specialist said that the impact could be greater, particularly for critical industries such as the automotive industry, which would affect at least 11 states in Mexico, including Coahuila, Querétaro and Nuevo León.

According to the  National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) , the export of light vehicles manufactured in Mexico during January 2025 reached 219,414 units , and the United States  was the main destination for exports with  83.6% (183,321 units) , followed by Canada  with  21,707  cars.

According to IMCO, the imposition of tariffs on the products covered would impact 4.7% of total Mexican exports.

Jesús Carrillo said that there would also be impacts in the service and trade sectors, as well as consumption, entertainment, and “everything associated with employment in industries.”

Review of the USMCA

The imposition of tariffs violates Chapter 2 of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , regarding national treatment and market access. One year after its review, Carrillo said, “it seems that everything will be brought forward.”

“Things are moving faster, but also, let’s say, outside of what is happening in the T-MEC. That is to say, this is already an ongoing dialogue, so I think this is a total impact,” he explained.

He pointed out that the tariffs affect the functioning of the trilateral trade agreement “and affect what will happen formally in 2026, or even if that is brought forward by decision of the parties, because everything also affects the T-MEC.”

According to the  Ministry of Economy , the T-MEC is the best business that the region has had, since, among other figures, it employs  17 million people at the regional level , generates approximately  3.1 million dollars (mdd) per minute  and represents  30% of the world GDP .

Regarding possible pressure from the US government for Mexico to impose tariffs on China, he said that the country must be clear that the United States is its main trading partner and that Mexico is part of the North American economic bloc .

“If in order to have that membership, we have to make some, I don’t mean concessions, but some actions to strengthen that bloc, I think Mexico should do it. I’m not saying all the tariffs that the United States suggests, or none at all, but simply seeing what tariffs or actions against China can be taken to strengthen our position in North America,” he concluded.

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El cargo Mexico’s security actions signal commitment to halt tariffs: IMCO apareció primero en T21.

Once again, the personality of Donald Trump , President of the United States, spoke out on the subject of tariffs, since according to newspaper reports, he stated on February 26 that the 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada could be postponed until April 2 ; however, this Thursday he reversed course and announced that the tariff measure remains in place for March 4 .

This morning, Trump posted a message through his Truth Social account , in which he clarified that on April 2 , reciprocal tariffs will go into effect . These are taxes levied on imported goods and which the United States government seeks to impose on its global trading partners, which are equal to the tariffs that foreign countries have imposed on American products.

In his message, he pointed out that drugs continue to arrive in the United States “at very high and unacceptable levels,” and assured that most of these substances are sent in the form of fentanyl.

In this regard, the US President stressed that the date of reciprocal tariffs of April 2 “will remain in full force and effect.”

In his post, he specified that until the distribution of drugs stops or is limited, tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will be implemented on March 4.

It should be recalled that on February 26, the US president announced during a press conference that the implementation of the 25% tariffs for Mexico and Canada would begin on April 2.

“Starting April 2, the tariffs go on. I was going to do it starting April 1, but I’m superstitious. The tariffs go on. Not all of them, but some of them. I think we’re going to see something incredible. They’ve taken advantage of us for a long time,” he said.

At that meeting, Howard Lutnick , the United States Secretary of Commerce, pointed out that Mexico and Canada were given a  30-day reprieve  to demonstrate that they were successfully stopping the trafficking of fentanyl into the United States, as well as the passage of migrants, and “if they have done so,” then Trump will give them a pause or he will not do it.”

This case of the widespread collection of tariffs on Mexican products has been one of the themes that Trump has used since his first term as president of the United States.

He also used it during his most recent presidential campaign, and it gained strength when he was inaugurated on January 20 , since one of his first actions was to sign executive orders for the implementation of 25% tariffs on Mexico, its main commercial seller.

Faced with Trump’s indecision, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has attempted to stop the collection of tariffs and is seeking agreements with her US counterpart.

In this regard, at his morning press conference on February 26, he announced that there will be a meeting between  Rogelio Ramírez de la O , head of the  Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) , and  Scott Bessent , secretary of the  United States Department of the Treasury , to discuss various issues, such as the 25 percent tariff.

Meanwhile, the  Ministry of Economy (SE)  reported that  Marcelo Ebrard , head of this department, traveled to Washington DC on Thursday to hold working meetings with his American counterparts, specifically with Jamieson Greer , United States Trade Representative, and Howard Lutnick , Secretary of Commerce of our northern neighbor.

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El cargo Trump backtracks, tariffs on Mexico are on track for March 4 apareció primero en T21.

A few days before the United States imposes a 25% tariff on various Mexican products, which was postponed for a month, the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum , is seeking to have a new call with her counterpart from the northern neighbor, Donald Trump , to reach an agreement; meanwhile, the tenant of the White House has assured that his tariff plan “is moving forward.”

Among the attempts to stop this measure, Sheinbaum indicated in her morning press conference that she will seek a new telephone conversation with Trump this week to avoid the imposition of tariffs on the import of Mexican goods on March 4 .

“We must review everything that President Trump says, that is why I say that we must always keep a cool head and not take isolated phrases. Obviously, the agreement must be closed this week. Eight days from now is the date that we propose for the end of this suspension period that was agreed upon in that phone call,” said the president.

Sheinbaum stressed that it is important to reach an agreement this week and that priority will be given to the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC) .

For his part, Donald Trump continues with the threat. The president of the United States seems not to have been convinced by the agreement reached on February 3, in which Mexico committed to sending 10,000 members of the National Guard to the northern border to prevent “excessive” illegal immigration, as well as the trafficking of fentanyl to the United States.

Seven days before the tariff measure is likely to materialize, Trump is standing firm. On February 24, he announced that the tariffs are going ahead, in response at a press conference at the White House with the president of France, Emmanuel Macron .

It is worth remembering that one of the first actions that Trump announced after his inauguration as President of the United States was the signing of executive orders for the implementation of  25% tariffs  on Mexico , his main commercial seller, which has been one of his most recurrent threats, since he has used it in his campaign and in 2018, during his first term as President of the American Union.

According to Marcelo Ebrard , head of the Ministry of Economy (SE) , the imposition of 25% tariffs on Mexico would be a “strategic error” that would affect millions of families in the United States , as well as companies in that country.

At the morning press conference on January 31, the federal official added that the American consumer would be affected because there would be less availability of products, because “purchases are obviously contracting. In addition, it would generate possible disruptions in supply chains, “because such high tariffs have an expansive impact.”

There, Ebrard indicated that the tariffs would have repercussions on various Mexican industries, such as vehicles, computers, screens, refrigerators, beer, meat, as well as fruits and vegetables.

If tariffs are imposed, Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would fall by almost 4% , estimated Rolando Paniagua , director of business expansion at  Banco Base , who said that if this measure were to be implemented, “it would put the Mexican economy in serious trouble.”

Tariffs on China as a bargaining chip for Trump

One of the measures that the Mexican government is considering to avoid the 25% tariffs imposed by the United States is to impose tariffs on Chinese products.

Claudia Sheinbaum explained that Mexico does not have a free trade agreement with that Asian country, which would allow, under the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) , the imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods.

In this regard, he reiterated that the priority is the USMCA and the trade relationship with the partner countries that make up this trilateral agreement.

Sheinbaum indicated that a team from the Ministry of Economy remains in Washington to advance talks with the U.S. government to avoid 25% tariffs on various Mexican products.

According to the SE, trade between Mexico and China registered a growth of 12.3% in the first half of 2024, in addition to reaching 20% ​​of total Mexican imports, making that Asian country Mexico’s second largest trading partner.

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El cargo Tariffs on Mexican products “continue”: Trump; Sheinbaum seeks to stop them apareció primero en T21.

25% tariffs on imported Mexican products , as well as a similar rate on steel and aluminum by the United States, the Ministry of Economy (SE) relaunched the “Made in Mexico” label , in order to promote and strengthen national products .

As part of the Mexico Plan , which contemplates national and foreign investments, and includes around two thousand specific projects aimed at strengthening strategic sectors, improving competitiveness and promoting sustainable development, the “Made in Mexico” certification brand was also relaunched .

According to the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) , any product whose manufacture, manufacturing or assembly has been done in Mexico, and has quality and excellence standards that enhance the identity and reputation of the origin of its raw materials, will be able to access the emblematic seal , which will be valid for five years .

On February 17, the DOF published the new rules for the use of these brands, which, emphasized Marcelo Ebrard , head of the SE, means  projecting a competitive and united country , and its wide promotion is due to the current environment of uncertainty in international trade.

“The purpose of all this effort is for Mexico to move forward, for Mexico to overcome anything that may come our way, for us to be united, cohesive and to project our country,” the federal official stressed.

According to the rules for the authorization of use of certification marks, these will be granted through the Regulatory, Competitiveness and Competition Unit of the Ministry of Economy.

In addition, the DOF stated, “the Honorary Promoter Council “Made in Mexico” is created as an advisory body made up of representatives of the Mexican business, industrial and creative sectors, in accordance with the operating rules issued by this collegiate body.”

To obtain certification, applicants must  “reliably demonstrate that, in the manufacturing or fabrication process, they implement affirmative actions regarding compliance with one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.”

The federal government may grant authorization for the use of certification marks within a period of up to 10 business days after the application is submitted.

Among the obligations of companies that are granted permission to use the logo are that they must “refrain from registering the certification marks in their entirety or any of their parts, whether as a main element or as part of a set, in trademark registries or any other form of intellectual property protection, or as an Internet domain name.”

Also, “certification marks must be used in a way that does not damage the reputation or mislead consumers about the characteristics of the products to which they apply.”

As part of the sanctions for misusing the badge , the authorization must be cancelled , so they must remove it within  10 business days at the latest , from all types of documents, websites or other applications where it has been incorporated, as well as avoid using it in their products.

A logo that has transcended time

The “Made in Mexico” label was created by designer Omar Arroyo in 1978 , and is a symbol that has been part of national products in Mexico and abroad and has remained in the collective imagination.

According to the DOF, on March 8, 1978, the Notice to Industrialists, Merchants and the General Public on the Official Standard NOM-Z-9-1978 , emblem called Made in Mexico, was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation, with the purpose of establishing and describing said distinctive.

According to the same document, on November 22, 2018 , the Agreement establishing the conditions and requirements for granting the authorization and use of the Made in Mexico emblem was published in the DOF , in order to establish the requirements for granting the use of said logo and its design, as a mixed brand owned by the Ministry of Economy.

Currently, the brand has the silhouette of an eagle head in white on a maroon background . Above the head, it has the phrases “Hecho en” and “Made in” and below it, “México” and “Mexico”. The design is minimalist and identifies Mexican products in the national and international market.

Although the logo has undergone modifications, such as in 2004 when the eagle changed and an MX was added, or in 2009 when the design of the plumage and the shape of the eagle’s beak were changed, the logo has remained in the Mexican imagination as a symbol of identity .

The relaunch of the brand takes place in a context of uncertainty in world trade, especially due to the protectionist policy that Donald Trump , president of the United States, seeks to impose with the collection of 25% tariffs on Mexico , which was paused for a month.

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El cargo “Made in Mexico” brand revived amid Trump tariff threats apareció primero en T21.

In 2024, trade between Mexico and the United States totaled 839 billion 892 million dollars (mdd), of this amount 609 billion 009 million dollars were operated by motor transport, that is, 72% of the total , according to figures from the United States Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) .

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the economic policy of US President Donald Trump, various specialists assert that trade will maintain a positive pace, also due to the increase in consumption in the US market.

In this scenario, since the last quarter of 2024, Zinergia  (number 8 in the  Top 100 of Autotransport® ), acquired a company with a focus on door-to-door operations between Mexico and the United States, called Tendencies.

“Our reading is that the US market will see an increase due to policies to encourage consumption, and this will allow for greater trade between the two countries, which we want to capitalize on,” said Luis Morales, executive director of Zinergia, in an interview with T21.

By adding Tendencies to Zinergia’s portfolio, door-to-door services can now be offered between Mexico and the United States, serving direct customers in both countries, as well as logistics companies.

“Our business model is with B1 operators, and our base of operations is in Monterrey, not in Nuevo Laredo, changing the model with which this market is traditionally operated,” describes Morales.

In addition to strengthening door-to-door services, the executive says that there is the capacity to focus on the domestic market, and not just door-to-door, when the market and rates recover.

For Zinergia, it is clear that this type of service will allow its clients to have a new opportunity to access the various services currently offered by the different service verticals. But as Luis Morales explains, with the capacity to make the necessary investments in Capex if the projects and the market so require.

Currently, Tendencies serves segments such as the automotive and retail sectors , as well as some logistics operators.

“Growth will be determined by the market, and especially by the recovery of rates, in order to consider entering domestic routes in the United States,” said Luis Morales.

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El cargo Tendencies, Zinergia’s foray into door-to-door trade with the US apareció primero en T21.

The possible imposition of 25% tariffs on Mexican products by the United States, which was paused for a month, is generating uncertainty in the automotive industry, and the Japanese vehicle manufacturer, Nissan , is already evaluating the impact if this measure were to be taken, which would entail moving its production from Mexico to another location.

This was announced at a press conference on Thursday by Makoto Uchida , president and CEO of Nissan, who said that they must be prepared for the possible entry into force of this tariff measure.

“If high tariffs are imposed, we will have to be ready and perhaps we can move the production of these models to another place. If that were the decision, we would think about how to make it a reality while monitoring the situation,” he said.

The executive stressed that the Japanese firm exports a large volume of vehicles to its northern neighbor, so he warned that “if there are high tariffs, it will have serious implications for our business.”

From its plants in Mexico, Nissan exports approximately 320,000 cars per year to the U.S. market.

Nissan’s revenues fall

During the presentation of its financial results, the Japanese firm reported a 98.4% drop in its net profit between April and December. Given this scenario, it anticipated that in 2025 it will record losses for the first time in four years.

To meet these challenges, the company announced a restructuring plan that includes cutting its global production by 20% , particularly in the small market. The plan also includes the elimination of 9,000 jobs in three plants and labor adjustments in  Thailand.

It also plans to reduce shifts at its factories in  Smyrna  and  Canton , in  the United States , which will affect 6,500 workers between this year and 2026.

Performance in Mexico

In Mexico, Nissan is one of the automakers that has had an optimal performance. In January of this year alone, it reported an 8% increase in its production, reaching 61,085 units compared to the 56,567 units manufactured in the same month of 2024, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

In terms of exports, in the first month of 2025, Nissan shipped 33,807 units abroad and sold 20,279 vehicles in the domestic market , which represented an increase of 1.5% compared to January of last year, when it sold 19,970 cars .

According to the  Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA) , Nissan has three plants where it manufactures around  750,108 vehicles  per year. It also has a facility where it manufactures engines, where it produces 747,000 units annually.

It is worth remembering that Nissan and Honda announced on December 23 a memorandum of understanding for a possible merger so that both firms could collaborate more closely to pool their resources and strengthen their position in the global automotive industry, and confront electric car manufacturers .

Finally, Nissan announced in a statement that the two companies “agreed to terminate the memorandum of understanding signed on December 23 of last year to consider a business integration between the two companies.”

“As a result of these discussions, both companies concluded that, in order to prioritize speed in decision-making and execution of management actions in an increasingly volatile market environment in the face of the era of electrification, it would be most appropriate to cease the discussions and terminate the MOU,” the document said.

On February 4, Donald Trump , President of the United States, was going to implement 25% tariffs on various Mexican products, however, they were paused for a month after he and the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, reached an agreement.

On February 10, Trump announced that he had signed two executive orders to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports , a rate that will apply to all countries and will affect his trading partners in the region, such as Mexico and Canada.

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El cargo Nissan mulls moving production from Mexico amid Trump tariffs apareció primero en T21.

The National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero) rejected the imposition of 25% tariffs on steel imports by the United States and asked the Mexican government to “take urgent trade defense measures to protect the national industry.”

In a statement, the organization expressed its “deep disagreement” with the unilateral decision by the U.S. government, a measure that, it noted, will seriously affect the steel industry and the entire metalworking chain in North America , putting competitiveness and regional integration at risk.

“The tariffs threaten 75% of Mexican steel exports, valued at 2.1 billion dollars, putting key jobs and investments in our country at risk,” Canacero added.

He said that if Mexican steel is not excluded from tariffs, it will be necessary to apply reciprocal reprisals on steel products from our northern neighbor .

In this regard, he stated that “the Mexican steel industry supports the efforts of the Government of Mexico to ensure that economic reason prevails and achieve the definitive exclusion of Mexico from the executive order recently communicated by the United States government.”

He added that in the face of the threat of excess capacity in China and Southeast Asia, a high level of productive integration between the two countries and regional benefits must prevail.

The statement said that the steel trade balance between the United States and Mexico reflects a surplus of 2.3 million tons in favor of the United States at the end of 2024, “so there is no justification for the imposition of tariffs on Mexican steel.”

On February 10, Donald Trump , President of the United States, announced that he had signed two executive orders to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, a rate that will apply to all countries and will affect its trading partners in the region, such as Mexico and Canada.

These measures will come into effect on March 12 of this year.

In response to this, on Tuesday at the morning conference, Marcelo Ebrard , head of the  Ministry of Economy  in Mexico, described the measure as a “bad and unjustifiable idea ,” since the United States exports more to the country than it imports, and will therefore seek dialogue with trade authorities from its northern neighbor.

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El cargo Canacero rejects US tariffs; calls for urgent measures to protect Mexican steel industry apareció primero en T21.

In response to the imposition of 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum exported by the world to the United States, Marcelo Ebrard , head of the Ministry of Economy in Mexico, described the measure as a “bad and unjustifiable idea,” since the United States exports more to the country than it imports, and he will seek a dialogue with trade authorities in that country, which could take place next week.

At the morning press conference, Ebrard reported that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had asked him to present to the northern neighbor an analysis that demonstrates the benefits of steel trade with Mexico for its economy.

“The instruction I have from President Sheinbaum is, number one, consultations with the new administration to present them with the information we have. The new administration, its Secretary of Commerce ( Howard Lutnick ), has to be ratified this week, because the Senate ratifies him there. Likewise, the head of the USTR ( Jamieson Greer ). Next week I will have personal communication via Zoom, or as determined, with both, to present the arguments in Mexico,” explained the federal official.

He explained that the proclamation that was announced the day before indicates that the tariff will be applied to all countries, “that is the first thing we have to see. It is a general application, it is not an application only to Mexico.”

He recalled that the new measure imposed by US President Donald Trump , which establishes a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum, is scheduled to come into force on March 12 .

The Secretary of Economy pointed out that Mexico buys more steel than it sells to the United States, which allows the northern neighbor to have a surplus of six thousand 897 million dollars (mdd) , while with other countries the balance is negative.

In this regard, he gave as an example that the United States has a trade deficit in steel of 9,675 million dollars with Canada , and with China it is almost 14 thousand million dollars .

“We have a surplus, and if it were to be imposed starting March 12, it would be a very unusual case because a tariff would be imposed on a country to which the United States sells more,” Ebrard explained.

Ebrard ruled out a 1,600% increase in U.S. steel purchases from Mexico, as indicated in Trump’s executive order, since in recent years the country has reduced its exports to its northern neighbor.

“It is unfair. According to President Trump’s own arguments, because we have, I repeat, more imports from the United States than exports,” he emphasized.

He said that the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum “are a bad idea” and appealed to common sense and not to destroy what Mexico and the United States have built over the last 40 years.

Regarding the one-month pause on 25% tariffs on various Mexican products, the official said he was waiting for his counterpart’s ratification to begin a dialogue.

“We have conducted a very detailed analysis of what is happening in trade and investment between the two countries in recent years, as well as what should be done, in accordance with what the president has asked us to do. We have a lot of information and, every day, we continue to gather and clarify more details, such as what I mentioned about aluminum,” he added.

In this regard, he considered that “we will arrive at the meeting or the conversation with all the necessary elements,” so, he indicated, they will present arguments in order to persuade and insist on moving forward from this situation. “This is something we already experienced in 2019, so we will persevere and move forward,” Ebrard said.

The day before, Trump announced that he had signed two executive orders to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, a rate that will apply to all countries and will affect his trading partners in the region, such as Mexico and Canada.

It is worth remembering that on February 4, Trump was going to implement 25% tariffs on various Mexican products, however, they were paused for a month, after he and Sheinbaum reached an agreement in which Mexico agreed to send 10,000 elements  of the  National Guard in order to stop the passage of migrants to the northern neighbor and the trafficking of fentanyl.

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El cargo Tariffs on steel and aluminum are a “bad idea”: Ebrard; he will seek dialogue with US trade authorities apareció primero en T21.

The countdown began on February 3 with the one-month postponement of the imposition of US tariffs on Mexican products , which allowed exporters a temporary respite.

For Ángel Hernández, general manager of Super Transporte Internacional (STI) , the pressure on the sector has been on since January of this year, the demand for more transport and storage space to be able to move goods in the face of uncertainty over tariffs.

“We already noticed that exporters were beginning to want to send a little more product to the American side to avoid the risk of an increase due to sales. This was seen much more in January, because February was a strong threat,” explained Hernández.

With the postponement, the strategy continues to evolve. For Hernandez, there is still some uncertainty and the market could demand much more capacity in the export area to cover any risk.

“These issues are very sensitive, especially because it is a fact that if there is something that Donald Trump does not like, he will want to impose tariffs,” Hernández said.

He also said that exporters have sought to secure their operating margins.

Hernández warned that “there is already a lack of capacity in the warehouses in Laredo, and that is a reality. There is a lack of creativity because it is a reality. The issue of capacity could be affected.”

He also indicated that in Laredo many areas are still being developed for storage, but not everything is ready .

For his part, Edgar Zamorano, delegate of the  National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacar) in Reynosa, explained that there are still doubts in the sector.

“Saturday (February 1) filled us with anguish. We spoke all day with customs agents, exporters, merchandise owners, warehouses, land transport, everyone was on the same page of uncertainty,” Zamorano said.

He said that a scenario with tariffs would represent a “fall in numbers, no one would want to export or import ,” he explained.

She explained how tensions had grown in the days leading up to the meeting. “President Trump’s position was very tough, but President Claudia’s response was also very tough,” she said.

For Zamorano, trade cannot operate with constant pauses . “Trump is not someone you can easily convince not to continue with tariffs. Much depends on what Mexico does to avoid it,” he said.

Along the same lines, Javier Abascal, CEO of Grupo Zonte , considered that Trump’s move follows a pattern. “Knowing Trump, knowing what he is like, I think he will just threaten. His scheme is that: threaten, go out and say things to the press and make everyone nervous,” Abascal commented.

In the midst of this scenario, transporters and logistics operators are trying to sustain the flow of trade before uncertainty becomes a definitive blow.

In this context and in light of the 30-day pause in tariffs, logistics specialists warn that the situation remains volatile and due to demand they have reinforced the offer of their services , such was the case of Pegasus Logistics Group , who in a statement noted that “despite the postponement, the situation remains unstable and companies must remain vigilant.”

For its part, Averitt , a cross-border solutions provider, highlighted the importance of strengthening supply chains through strategic storage by offering inventory relocation.

In light of this, some companies have already begun to explore storage options at strategic locations within the United States to ensure the continuity of their operations.

The question in the sector is clear: will this be just a temporary respite before a new onslaught or the prelude to a definitive agreement? The countdown to find out continues until March of this year.

(Main image source: Averitt)

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El cargo Battle for storage? Exporters get ahead of tariffs apareció primero en T21.

According to the Timely Estimate of Quarterly Gross Domestic Product (EOPIBT) , published this Thursday by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) , the Mexican economy would have shown a contraction in the fourth quarter of 2024 (4Q24), its first fall since 2021, marked by a decline in agricultural and industrial activities.

According to seasonally adjusted figures, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell 0.6% in the last quarter of last year, compared to the previous quarter. At an annual rate, the timely estimate showed an increase of 0.6 percent .

The Inegi report indicated that in the period October-December 2024, the GDP of primary activities , which include agriculture, mining and fishing, decreased 8.9% at a quarterly rate .

The secondary sector , which includes manufacturing and construction, showed a quarterly decline of 1.2% in the period in question. The GDP of the tertiary sector , which includes services such as trade, transport and communications, education and health, had a quarterly increase of 0.2% .

In 4Q24, at an annual rate, the timely estimate of GDP for tertiary activities increased by 2.2% , that of secondary activities fell by 1.7% and that of primary activities registered a decrease of 4.6 percent .

“The Timely Estimate of the Quarterly Gross Domestic Product offers, in the short term, a vision of the evolution of the country’s economic activities,” said Inegi regarding this indicator, which registered its first fall since 2021 and after 12 consecutive quarters with a positive performance.

According to estimates by the World Bank (WB) , Mexico will have economic growth of just 1.5% for 2025 and 1.6% for the following year, limited by the application of a restrictive monetary policy and fiscal consolidation.

Other factors that could affect this growth are the uncertainty generated by the protectionist trade policy that the President of the United States, Donald Trump , is seeking to implement, with the imposition of 25% tariffs on products from his southern neighbor.

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El cargo Mexico’s GDP contracts in 4Q24; agricultural and manufacturing activities show decline apareció primero en T21.