Sheinbaum still seeking US tariffs deal: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

At the very start of her Tuesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum read out a statement in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican exports. She said that:

• The tariffs were imposed on Tuesday despite the USMCA free trade pact “signed by President Trump himself” during his first term.
• Her government took “forceful actions against organized crime and the trafficking of fentanyl” while the tariffs were suspended during the past 30 days.
• There is no “reason” or “justification” for the imposition of tariffs, given the actions the Mexican government has taken against organized crime over the past five months.
• The “opioid use crisis” in the United States “began with the irresponsible approval” of prescription drugs by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Mexico has “decided to respond” to the tariffs with its own “tariff and nontariff measures” that she will announce Sunday.
• She was certain that “together we will get through this.”

Sheinbaum also said that her government “emphatically denies and categorically condemns” the “offensive, defamatory and baseless statement” in which the White House claimed that “the government of Mexico has afforded safe havens for the cartels to engage in the manufacturing and transportation of dangerous narcotics.”

By not announcing Mexico’s retaliatory measures until Sunday, the president buys herself time to perhaps reach a deal with Trump this week.

‘What will happen with this? Products will become more expensive’ 

Later in her press conference, Sheinbaum highlighted that Mexico is the United States’ top trade partner.

“In other words, a very significant part of what people in the United States consume, particularly cars, are made here,” she said.

“But these exports have to do with trade and productive integration [in North America]. … It’s not that complete cars are made here and exported to the United States,” Sheinbaum said, highlighting that many parts that go into a finished Mexican-made vehicle are imported from the U.S.

“There is very significant economic integration that has occurred throughout the last 40 years, and particularly in the latest period … [because] after the pandemic, a lot of companies that were in China decided to come to Mexico and set up here, or companies already in Mexico decided to increase their capacities,” she said.

“… This idea that jobs are only created here is not correct,” Sheinbaum added.

“They are created on both sides [of the border] precisely due to this [economic] integration. What’s going to happen now? The United States imposes a 25% tax on all Mexican exports without distinction. What does that mean? That what is produced here will cost 25% more when it goes to the United States,” she said.

“If we implement the same return tax it will cost another 25%,” Sheinbaum said, referring to products that cross the border during the production process.

“And sending it back [to the U.S.] again, another 25%. What will happen with this? Products will become more expensive,” she said.

Tariff situation could change as early as Wednesday  

Sheinbaum told reporters that she will speak to Trump by telephone sometime later this week.

Asked when the call would happen, she responded “probably Thursday.”

The Mexican government is of course seeking to have Mexico’s tariffs lifted by the United States very soon.

It remains to be seen whether that will happen, but United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox Business on Tuesday afternoon that he believes Trump will “work something out” with Mexico and Canada vis-à-vis the 25% tariffs he imposed on their exports on Tuesday.

President Trump is getting deals done for the American people. “Both the Mexicans and the Canadians were on the phone with me all day today, trying to show that they’ll do better and the President is listening.” Stay tuned!

“China are still giving maximum subsidies to producing… pic.twitter.com/7NhAoHeRqL

— Howard Lutnick (@howardlutnick) March 4, 2025

Howard Lutnick’s interview by Fox Business on Tuesday, in which he hinted at the U.S. being willing to consider compromising on tariffs on Mexico.

“It’s not going to be a pause … but I think he’s going to figure [something] out, you do more and I’ll meet you in the middle some way, and we’re probably going to be announcing that tomorrow,” he said.

“So somewhere in the middle will likely be the outcome — the president moving with the Canadians and Mexicans but not all the way,” Lutnick said, apparently indicating that Trump could reduce the rate of tariffs on Mexican and Canadian exports.

‘We have to respect President Trump even though we don’t agree with a lot of decisions he makes’

Sheinbaum said that her government is duty bound to “respect President Trump.”

“He was elected, elected by his people, and it’s up to us to respect him, even though we don’t agree with a lot of decisions he makes, particularly those that affect Mexico,” she said.

“But we always seek dialogue, coordination, always. Regardless of the issue, we have to seek coordination,” Sheinbaum said.

The president on numerous occasions has expressed her opposition to Trump’s mass deportation plan. She has also spoken out on Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico and opined that the designation of Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations is not “helpful.”

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])