The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, reported on the trip of her Minister of Economy to the US and indicated that she will offer details about possible agreements with US authorities once the official returns.
The Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, together with a work team, traveled to Washington before the planned entry into force of 25 % American tariffs to global imports of steel and aluminum, the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, said Tuesday.
Asked about how negotiations are going on the subject of these rates, the Mexican president said that the Secretary of Economy “will barely have some of the meetings,” so he added will wait for Ebrard to return to inform about the results of the conversations with US officials.
“If you do not come on Wednesday, Marcelo comes on Thursday and he already informs us of his views to Washington,” he said later at his usual morning conference.
An executive order approved by President Donald Trump Last February, he contemplates that 25 % tariffs on steel and aluminum to Mexico and other producing countries will enter into force on Wednesday, March 12.
Washington had already imposed 25 % tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, although it then postponed the entry into force of taxes to most Mexican and Canadian products until April 2.
According to Economics of the White House, Washington will keep the rates on Mexico, Canada and China in order to pressure the flow of fentanyl to the United States.
“If the fentanil ends, I think these (tariffs) will disappear,” said Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, in a NBC television program.
While the Secretary of Economy of Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard, has rejected Washington's decision to raise tariffs to 25 % in imports of steel and aluminum, considering that “it is not justified” and is “a bad idea.”
According to Ebrard, the United States currently has a favorable balance with respect to Mexico in the trade of these metals.
“It would be a case, if it was imposed from March 12, very unusual because a rate would be imposing a country that you, the United States, sells more,” said the head of Economics on February 11, 2025.
This Tuesday, the US government decided to increase by 50 % the tariffs to steel and aluminum to Canada, in response to an increase of 25 in the energy services of the Canadian province of Ontario to US households.