Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that she presented arguments against U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automobiles during a phone call with President Donald Trump last week. Despite the discussions, no agreement was reached.
“We are discussing the issue of tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automotive products. We did not reach an agreement, but we are presenting arguments to prevent the import taxes from taking effect,” Sheinbaum stated at her regular morning press conference at the National Palace.
Sheinbaum explained that Mexico is emphasizing its trade deficit with the United States in steel and aluminum. “In the case of steel and aluminum, we are arguing that we have a deficit; that is, the United States exports more steel and aluminum to Mexico than Mexico exports to the United States,” she said.
The president highlighted two avenues Mexico is exploring to address the tariffs: leveraging the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on free trade, and invoking World Trade Organization rules related to the “Most Favored Nation” clause, which aims to ensure equal treatment in trade matters.
In other news, Sheinbaum mentioned that Mexico’s Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Alicia Barcenas, is in San Diego meeting with officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The discussions focus on the issue of sewage from the Mexican border city of Tijuana being dumped into the Pacific Ocean.
