President Announces Mexico Will Reveal Measures Next Week in Response to US Tariff Increase If Agreement Is Not Achieved

If the United States and Mexico cannot agree on steel and aluminum tariffs, Mexico will launch countermeasures the following week.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that if Mexico and the United States cannot agree on a new round of steel and aluminum tariffs, Mexico will present a series of remedies the following week.

Late Tuesday, US President Donald Trump issued an executive proclamation activating the tariffs, which increase charges on the metals from 25% to 50%. The penalties went into force immediately on Wednesday. Mexico, a significant economic partner under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), is alarmed by the action.

President Sheinbaum denounced the US move as a “unfair measure” that goes against the spirit of the free trade agreement shared by the three North American countries at her morning press conference.

Mexico’s response, Sheinbaum underlined, will be proportional and not predicated on retaliation. “It’s not about retaliation, or revenge as they call it in English,” she stated. “It is about safeguarding our businesses and jobs.”

Sheinbaum insisted that her administration is dedicated to using discussion to settle the conflict, despite the dramatic escalation. She affirmed that in an attempt to find a solution, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard would hold high-level discussions with US officials this week.

According to a draft letter, the Trump administration is reportedly advising trading partners to submit their “best offers” in order to avoid additional import charges that might go into force in early July.

The fate of the diplomatic negotiations and if Mexico will be forced to implement its own economic measures in response are the main concerns as trade tensions rise.