In the 2024 presidential elections, President Donald Trump managed to defeat his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, and secured a wide majority of votes in several states that make up the Corn Belt, according to data from the Associated Press. This Corn Belt is located in the Midwest and part of the southern United States and represents a region with fertile and deep soils, ideal for corn cultivation since the 1850s.
Ildefonso Guajardo, former Secretary of Economy, proposed responding to the tariffs imposed by Trump with severe taxes on strategic industries in the United States such as corn, pork, and cheese production. This measure relates to the concept of "Corn Belt," which refers to the geographical area of the United States with the highest corn production and which predominantly supports the Republican Party.
Guajardo suggested that the Mexican government impose tariffs in these sectors to pressure Trump and appease his Republican voters, as they will be key in the 2026 midterm elections in the United States. The states in the 'Corn Belt' that predominantly supported Trump were Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Mexico, for its part, stands out for producing white corn, primarily intended for food, thanks to its warm climate that favors the cultivation of this plant. In contrast, corn production in the United States is predominantly of the yellow variety, used for various purposes such as feed and ethanol, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
