Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Thursday that there are “many measures” Mexico can take in response to U.S. tariffs, but he stressed that the federal government won’t take them “at a bad time.”
Ebrard addressed reporters at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference a day after the United States imposed 25% tariffs on all of its imports of steel and aluminum, and on hundreds of products made with those metals.
Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her government would wait until April 2 to decide whether it would retaliate against those tariffs and any others that are applied to Mexican goods. April 2 is the date the United States has said it will impose reciprocal tariffs on imports from all its trade partners.
Ebrard told reporters that placing tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminum was a “bad idea because the integration of Mexico and the United States … is very high.”
“We’re the two most integrated economies,” he said, adding that the 25% tariffs will affect “a lot of industries.”
On the instructions of Sheinbaum, the Economy Ministry will commence “consultations” on the U.S. tariffs with representatives of Mexico’s steel, aluminum and auto industries, Ebrard said.
In a nutshell, Economy Secretary @m_ebrard on
steel & aluminum tariffs:
-Consultations starting tomorrow with affected industries.
-We will be ready with specific measures in case they’re needed on April 2, but we won’t act precipitiously.
– The announced EU measures… https://t.co/PruEVuSjvb
— Julián Ventura (@JulianVenturaV) March 13, 2025
“We’re going to carry out consultations so that later, depending on what the United States government announces and what we manage to achieve … [before] April 2, we can take other measures to defend our companies,” he said.
“… There are many measures that can be taken but we’re not going to take them at a bad time,” Ebrard said.
“… In summary, we’re going to do the proper consultations and we’re going to prepare to use all the instruments we have depending on what is advisable for Mexico,” he said.
Ebrard, who was in Washington earlier this week for tariff talks with United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, said that he had received instructions from Sheinbaum to ensure that Mexico is in a better position “than any other country” after the U.S. implements reciprocal tariffs on April 2.
“That’s the goal because we’re very integrated with the United States. We have a certain exceptionality,” he said.
“… We have to achieve the best [trading] conditions possible. With what objective? To protect jobs, to protect companies and jobs,” Ebrard said. “That is the instruction we have.”
The economy minister stressed that Mexico won’t take any retaliatory action against the United States until it knows how it is affected by U.S. reciprocal tariffs.
Sheinbaum has expressed confidence that Mexico will avoid additional duties on its exports to the United States given that it doesn’t impose tariffs on the vast majority of imports from the U.S.
Ebrard said that he and other federal government officials will have “very intense” talks with their U.S. counterparts in the coming weeks. The economy minister said he will put forward “Mexico’s point of view” based on “what I have just told you.”
“The [United States’] integration with Mexico is exceptional. There is no other country, not even Canada, that has economic integration [with the United States] like there is between Mexico and the United States,” he said.
Ebrard has previously said that tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminum are illogical and “not justified” given that the U.S. has a surplus with Mexico on the trade of those metals.
He said Thursday that the Mexican government will act with “cold blood, resolve and firmness” in talks with the U.S. government in order to achieve “the best possible position for Mexico.”
“… I can’t give you details of the negotiation. … That would be imprudence because it hasn’t concluded,” Ebrard said.
“… Every day we’re in talks. How many meetings have there been? A lot, and there will be more. And we’re not going to give up until we achieve what the President Claudia Sheinbaum instructed us,” he said.
“From my point of view, with the experience I have, this strategy of firmness and cold blood is the best possible strategy, and it’s getting results,” Ebrard said.
In earlier remarks, the economy minister said that “without the intervention of President Sheinbaum with President Trump” all Mexican goods would face 25% tariffs when exported to the United States.
Sheinbaum spoke to Trump last Thursday after which the U.S. president announced that imports from Mexico covered by the USMCA free trade pact would not be subject to U.S. tariffs until at least early April. The U.S. had imposed 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and most imports from Canada two days earlier due to what the White House said was the two countries’ failure to adequately stem the flow of “lethal drugs” such as fentanyl into the U.S.
Trump said he was suspending tariffs on imports from Mexico covered by the USMCA “as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum.”
Sheinbaum had planned to announce retaliatory “tariff and non-tariff measures” against the United States’ blanket tariffs at a rally in Mexico City’s central square last Sunday, but she instead delivered a celebratory address due to the suspension of the duties.
Lutnick praises Mexico’s restraint after steel tariffs take effect
In an interview with Bloomberg Television on Thursday, Howard Lutnick said that in announcing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products, Europe and Canada demonstrated a lack of respect for President Trump and “America’s ability to build its steel and aluminum industry, which is vital for national security.”
In contrast, Mexico and the United Kingdom were “pragmatic and thoughtful” in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs, the commerce secretary said.
Consequently, “the way in which we’re going to deal with them is going to be better,” Lutnick said.
In earlier remarks, he noted that “the British didn’t respond” and “the Mexicans didn’t respond” to the tariffs — at least not yet.
“You have some countries that actually thoughtfully examine how they do business with us,” Lutnick said.
It remains to be seen whether Mexico can win an exemption from the steel and aluminium tariffs, and avoid other additional duties, as a result of its strategy in responding to and dealing with its largest trade partner.
The United States’ trade relationships were also on Trump’s mind on Thursday morning.
“The U.S. doesn’t have Free Trade. We have ‘Stupid Trade.’ The Entire World is RIPPING US OFF!!!” he wrote in one post to Truth Social.
“Canada needs America, America does not need Canada,” Trump said in another post, quoting businessman Grant Cardone.
US trade official: ‘Even the USMCA is not working for us now’
In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Trump’s senior counselor for trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro took aim at the United State-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the North American free trade pact that Trump signed in 2018 and which superseded NAFTA in 2020.
“We lost 90,000 factories — NAFTA, WTO, NAFTA shafta, even the USMCA is not working for us now because Biden didn’t enforce it,” Navarro said.
Trump has indicated that he wants to renegotiate the terms of the USMCA, which is up for review in 2026.
Mexico News Daily
Source: Mexico News Daily
