The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, revealed that she sent a letter to Donald Trump, introducing the information presented by the Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard. Ebrard pointed out that the United States has a trade surplus in steel and aluminum with Mexico, unlike other countries such as Australia, Canada, and China. Additionally, Mexico is the primary destination for U.S. exports of steel products and accounts for 52% of its global sales.
On the other hand, between 80% and 90% of the trade in the U.S. automotive industry is with Mexico and Canada, which could be affected by tariffs. Sheinbaum explained that she will present this detailed information to Trump at an upcoming meeting with the Secretaries of Commerce and Economy of both countries.
There are warnings from analysts about the impact these tariffs would have on Mexico, being the third-largest supplier of steel and aluminum to the U.S. Additionally, 82% of Mexico's exports of these metals go to the United States. Sheinbaum stressed the importance of coordination and collaboration in the bilateral relationship, while also emphasizing the country's sovereignty and its non-negotiability.
In her letter to Trump, Sheinbaum argued against the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, as the U.S. has a surplus of $6.897 billion with Mexico in these metals. The president stated that the imposition of these taxes is not justified, as the deficit argument mentioned by Trump does not apply in this specific case of the relationship with Mexico.
