Mexican mayors welcome the postponement of a tariff war with the US
By Adriana Maciel
In 2023, the United States imported more than $475 billion worth of goods produced in Mexico, a figure that grew by about 70 per cent in the last decade. US exports to Mexico, meanwhile, amounted to more than $322 billion.
6 February 2025: The mayor of the Mexican city of Ciudad Juárez, Cruz Pérez, welcomed Monday the postponement for a month of the tariffs announced by the US government against exports from Mexico, which, he said, would cause great damage to the economies of both countries, particularly to border cities like this town in the state of Chihuahua, bordering the United States.
At a press conference, Pérez stressed the importance of the additional one-month period agreed upon by the presidents of Mexico and the United States.
The mayor praised the role of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in the negotiations with her US counterpart, Donald Trump.
“I see the president very involved in the issues, with a lot of knowledge and dealing with a lot of dignity, but also with a lot of responsibility to represent the people of Mexico. It’s a very positive thing this month,” he said.
Pérez emphasised that the imposition of tariffs would cause significant damage not only to Mexico but also to sectors of the US economy.
“Changing supply chains, changing production overnight, would hurt Mexico’s economy, yes, but also some sectors of the US economy,” he explained.
The Mexican president announced on her profile on the social network X that she had held a conversation with President Trump, in which they reached several agreements, such as the postponement for a month of US tariffs on Mexican exports and the start of a bilateral dialogue at the highest level on trade and security.
In this regard, Pérez stressed the importance of collaboration between the two governments and the business sector to find solutions that benefit both nations.
“The fact that we are going to be working together is surely positive for us and for the maquiladora industry,” he said.
The US tariffs of 25 per cent would come into effect on 4 February, and Sheinbaum had anticipated that, if no agreement was reached with Trump, Mexico would respond with a plan containing tariff and non-tariff measures in response.
Trade between Mexico and the United States is of vital importance to both nations. In 2023, the United States imported more than $475 billion worth of Mexican goods, a figure that grew by about 70 per cent in the last decade, according to official figures.
US exports to Mexico, meanwhile, also accounted for more than $322 billion.
Ciudad Juárez, one of Mexico’s main border cities, plays a crucial role in this trade.
Its strategic location and the Maquiladora industry make it a key point for manufacturing and exporting products to the United States.
The imposition of 25 per cent tariffs could severely affect sectors such as automotive manufacturing, electronics and the energy sector, which are key to the region’s economy.
Analysts believe that these tariffs could trigger a trade war between Mexico and the United States, negatively affecting the economies of both countries.
On the other hand, the mayor of Jacona, Isidoro Mosqueda, said that the 25 per cent increased tariffs on Mexican agricultural products would not affect strawberry production. Jacona exports 60 per cent of its berry production, and its economy in this sector depends on the US market.
The mayor added that Jacona is one of the main municipalities that export strawberries and berries to the northern nation, with 60 per cent of what is produced there being exported. Even though their economy depends on the American market, the producers are confident that the negotiations will be favourable.
“We believe that it will not affect us even though we depend on the North American market. There is no concern, the producers are confident that we will continue to export well”, said mayor Mosqueda.
The municipal presidents of Apatzingán and Jungapeo agreed regarding lemon and guava production.
In a collective interview, the municipal president of Apatzingán, Fanny Lyssette Arreola Pichardo, pointed out that it is not expected to have economic repercussions for the lemon producers but that these would be seen in the northern country because the consumers will be the ones who will pay for the fruit. “The consumer is the one who will pay that 25 per cent, at the end of the day, it is the American who is going to do it.” Said mayor Arreola.
For her part, the mayor of Jungapeo, Tania Montes de Oca Coria, described Trump’s decisions as erroneous, and although she acknowledged that there could be an impact on the local economy due to the increase in the price at which guava would be sold, the US would see more of the damage.
“There have not yet been any cancellations in guava orders, but we consider the actions to be erroneous. In the end, it will harm us, but they will also be harmed”, said mayor Montes de Oca.
On Saturday, 1 February, Donald Trump announced an increase in tariffs for Mexico and Canada, as well as a 10 percent increase in tariffs for China. In response to this, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded by applying a 25 percent tax to North American products. The country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, is already preparing for the same situation.
About a “tariff crisis” with the United States, the government of the Republic has expressed its resignation in the face of the pressure strategies for the 25 per cent increase in import taxes in the North American region for Mexico and Canada. In response, the presidency of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo issued its position of disapproval of the tactics imposed by Donald Trump; as part of this, the message of support from the leader of the Morena party, Luisa María Alcalde, who advocated in favour of support for national sovereignty, was also added.
In a communiqué issued on the “X” platform, the official strongly expressed her rejection of the slander coming from the White House, where the government of the Republic was accused of maintaining criminal links with organised crime groups, which allegedly “allows” the entry of drugs and arms trafficking between Mexico and the United States.
Sources: Mexican media: Xinhua, El Sol de México