The tariff package, recently approved by the Congress of the Union and sent by the federal government, seeks to protect strategic industrial sectors of Mexico , such as textiles and clothing, automotive and steel, among others, as well as safeguard 350,000 jobs in the country, announced Marcelo Ebrard, head of the Ministry of Economy (SE) .

At Monday’s morning press conference, the federal official emphasized that the goal is not to charge more to countries with which Mexico does not have a trade agreement, but to establish a “level playing field ,” since these industries “are receiving products at prices below international reference prices.”

“With a level playing field, applying a tariff wouldn’t be justified, but when the playing field is uneven, you have to correct, remedy that disadvantage or that injustice. So, in steel, in just the last year, let’s say the last two years, it has grown 12.4%, that’s the growth rate of imports; 20.8% in clothing, including digital platforms, and 22.3% in footwear. If this continues, by the end of 2026, along with the automotive industry, we would be losing 350,000 jobs,” he emphasized.

He ruled out that the measure applies to only one country, that is, it does not have a “geopolitical design”, and recalled that the automotive industry represents a third of the total jobs generated in manufacturing in Mexico , so “it is very important to take measures in time”.

“Our trade balance with the countries from which we are importing the most is 10 to 1. That is, we export 1 and import 9. This in itself is something that should concern us and make us try to ensure that the imbalance is not so great, but it also shows how the trend is going,” he explained.

In that regard, he warned about a trade imbalance with 10 Asian countries: Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, and China.

At the event, he explained that the tariff package was developed by selecting the country’s strategic industrial sectors and identifying 1,463 tariff classifications. Following discussions with industry associations and federal authorities, and after modifications, particularly in industries like auto parts, the package was approved.

Ebrard explained that the 350,000 jobs they are trying to protect are located mainly in Aguascalientes, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, the State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nuevo León, Puebla, and Querétaro.

“If we don’t take action now, then in a year the question will be, how are we going to create those 350,000 jobs? We will have already lost them,” he emphasized.

It is worth remembering that organizations such as the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) , the National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero)  , and the National Chamber of the Textile Industry (Canaintex) supported the approval of the reforms to various tariff classifications of the General Import and Export Tax Law (LIGIE) , which seeks to increase tariffs of up to 50% on goods imported from several countries that do not have a trade agreement with Mexico, as well as strengthen the regulatory framework of foreign trade .

Investments are progressing in Economic Development Hubs for Well-being

Marcelo Ebrard also presented progress on the Economic Development Poles for Well-being in Mexico, noting that the largest investments have been made in the automotive sector in Durango, Tlaxcala, Puebla, and Michoacán.

In logistics , investments are concentrated in Celaya, Bajío Logistics Gateway; Tlaxcala, Distribution and Marketing Center; Hidalgo, Distribution and Logistics Services; Michoacán, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) , which is a railway integration system.

“And other relevant projects include energy, steel, manufacturing, and the digital economy. These are the projects we have already confirmed,” he added.

He also highlighted investments in Hidalgo for the pharmaceutical sector; Puebla in the agri-food industry; and Campeche with the industrialization of fruits.

Of the 15 planned hubs, six are already under construction and the rest are expected to start in the second quarter of 2026.

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