MEXICO CITY – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Tuesday that Mexico plans to retaliate against the 25% tariffs recently imposed by the United States by implementing its own tariffs on American goods. In a move to counter the U.S. tariffs, Sheinbaum revealed that the list of targeted U.S. products would be made public on Sunday during an event at the central plaza in Mexico City, signaling a possibility of reversing the escalating trade tensions initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Unlike China and Canada, Mexico has decided to wait until the weekend to disclose specifics, although the country had already formulated a contingency plan since January to respond to just such a scenario. Meanwhile, Canada has announced its decision to levy tariffs on over $100 billion worth of American goods within 21 days.
Sheinbaum criticized the lack of justification for imposing penalties on some of the U.S.’s major trading partners, stating, “There is no motive or reason, nor justification that supports this decision that will affect our people and our nations.” The tariffs, which Trump threatened against both Canada and Mexico, have now come into effect, increasing the likelihood of further reprisals from America’s North American neighbors.
Starting after midnight, imports from Canada and Mexico are subject to a 25% tax, while Canadian energy products will face a 10% import duty. Additionally, Sheinbaum denounced a recent White House fact sheet that disparaged the Mexican government for harboring drug traffickers. She deemed these accusations “offensive, defamatory, and without support,” and highlighted her administration’s efforts against Mexico’s drug cartels, mentioning the seizure of over a ton of fentanyl and the dismantling of 329 methamphetamine labs. Moreover, Mexico recently extradited 29 cartel figures requested by the U.S.
“We collaborate to avoid illegal drug trafficking to the United States, but as we have said on multiple occasions, that country’s government must take responsibility too for the crisis of opioid consumption that has caused so many deaths in the United States,” Sheinbaum stated.
Sheinbaum further emphasized that Mexico’s retaliatory tariffs are not meant to instigate an economic or commercial conflict, noting the importance of fostering cooperation instead. “It’s inconceivable that they don’t think about the damage this is going to cause to United States citizens and businesses with the increase in prices for things produced in our country,” she continued, “Also, the damage it will cause by stopping job creation in both countries. No one wins with this decision.”
In a related escalation with China, Beijing has declared additional tariffs of up to 15% on key U.S. agricultural products, including chicken, pork, soy, and beef, alongside increased regulatory barriers for American firms. These new tariffs from China are set to commence on March 10. The announcement comes in the wake of Trump’s directive to raise tariffs on imported Chinese goods across the board to 20%, a measure that went into effect simultaneously with the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
