MCALLEN, TEXAS - Hopefully, a revised USMCA will allow Mexico to avoid being impacted by the new tariffs President Trump is trying to impose - in which case the new tariffs on steel from Mexico would be eliminated.

This is the view of Jorge Torres, president of Rio Grande Valley-based Interlink Trade Services. Torres gave an update on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement negotiations at a recent meeting of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation Stakeholders Committee.

“The USMCA revision is happening right now. Mexico’s Secretary of the Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer have had meetings. And the meetings have been somewhat positive,” Torres said.

“Obviously, they're looking at reinforcing the supply chain in the three countries. And that is something that is critical for us. They want to enforce the rules of origin on regional value content. They want to get more regional content, obviously.”

Torres continued: “Mexico is pushing for not being affected by external tariffs, which is Sections 122, 301, 232 and all that. That's an uphill fight, but hopefully they'll get there, somehow. That will be critical to getting rid of the steel tariffs and the Section 301 investigations, all the tariffs that the President wants to impose. If they can isolate Mexico, that would be great. But again, that's an uphill battle, because the U.S. is demanding a lot of Mexico.”

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