After weeks of negotiations and a phone call between President Claudia Sheinbaum and her American counterpart Donald Trump, Mexico reached an agreement with the United States to pause for 90 days plus the imposition of tariffs on Mexican exports aimed at that country.
The “Salvaguarda” agreement the treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC), held President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday morning.
In his usual morning press conference he made after the call with his American couple, Sheinbaum Pardo said he reached “the best possible agreement” if compared to other nations that also face Trump’s tariff threat.
The first president announced Thursday that, after a call of approximately 40 minutes with US President Donald Trump, both governments agreed to extend for 90 days the current commercial scheme without tariff increases, in order to work in a long -term agreement.
During the morning press conference, Sheinbaum Pardo explained that she was accompanied by Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard and the Undersecretary for North America, Roberto Velasco. “It was a very important call. We stay how we are and open 90 days to continue talking and build a long -term agreement,” he said.
Also, the president clarified that the agreement reached did not imply any additional concession by Mexico. “We stayed as we are and continue talking. We made approaches on how to reduce the deficit and promote investments, but nothing was conditioned,” he said.
Sheinbaum stressed that the agreement avoids tariff increases that were scheduled to enter into force on August 1.
“The rates do not increase anymore. We are the same as we were. The T-MEC is safeguarded, which protects 84.4% of our trade with the United States,” he explained.
Praise Sheinbaum leadership
The Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, considered that the management of the negotiation was “splendid” by the president. “His treatment, his firmness, his ability to convince President Trump is difficult to foresee. What has been achieved has a huge impact,” he said. He added that no other country, except Canada, has such an advantageous commercial agreement with the United States.
Ebrard emphasized that this new period will allow to address both tariff and non -tariff issues: “It is not just an extension, it is a very advantageous condition for Mexico with respect to any other country.”
The secretary also revealed that sensitive aspects such as the extension of patents for American pharmaceutical laboratories are discussed, which could have a significant impact on the Mexican health system. “Someone requests a patent, a laboratory begins, and then it should be given a year and a half of validity. That represents a cost for the health system, because it can no longer occur in Mexico”he explained.
He pointed out that these types of issues, although administrative, are crucial for the operation of trade between the two countries. “We are no longer discussing whether there will be free trade, but how that trade will operate in the coming years. You have to establish criteria, for example, on ‘dumping’ practices, or how local production is defined”he said.
For his part, Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente also praised the leadership of the Head of State and highlighted his “extraordinary capacity for dialogue” and his “congruence and firmness” in the defense of national interests. “It was a conversation where respect predominated, and the president achieved important advantages for Mexico,” she said.
As soon as the call with President Sheinbaum concluded, Donald Trump reported through his Truth Social platform about conversation and tariff pause.
“It was very fruitful in the sense that, more and more, we are getting to know and understand ourselves”Trump described in a publication on social networks.
The American president argued that the complexities of an agreement with Mexico are somewhat different from those of other nations, due to both the problems and border assets.
According to Trump, Mexico agreed to end its non -tariff commercial barriers that, according to Trump, were many.
“We will talk to Mexico for the next 90 days with the aim of signing a commercial agreement at some time within the 90 -day period,” Trump said.
The Vice President, JD Vance; Treasury Secretary Scott Besent; the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick; the United States commercial representative, Jamieson Greer; The Chief of Cabinet Susie Wiles, and the Deputy Chief of Cabinet for National Security Policy and Advisor of the United States, Stephen Miller.
Trump agreements to date:
United Kingdom.
It includes a base tariff of 10% and an export fee of vehicles towards the US with zero tariff.
Vietnam.
It contemplates a 20% access tariff to the US market and another of 40% to triangulated products.
Philippines and Indonesia.
Establishes a 19% access to the US market.
Japan.
It includes a base tariff rate of 15% and the disposition of a fund of 550,000 million dollars for Japanese investments in the US.
European Union.
The basic access rate to the US market is 15% and an investment commitment of 600,000 MDD of European companies in the US was established.
South Korea.
Although the country has a current FTA with the US, it agreed a 15% rate on its exports and a commitment to buy energy products per 100,000 million dollars, plus the promise to invest 350,000 million dollars in the US.
Mexico.
The country will continue with zero tariffs for products that meet the rules of origin of the T-MEC (about 84% of exports) for 90 days and will only pay tariffs to cars (discount), steel, aluminum and copper products.
