Until the last moment, Isaac Predburger, like many other Mexican businessmen, could still not believe that President Trump would fulfill his promise that he would hit Mexico tariffs. It was a little important that Mr Trump announced that day that he would continue with the planned taxes.
“I’m still unfaithful,” said Mr. Presbburger, director of sales in Preslowa, family clothes in Mexico. “So far, we know that Trump presses you so you give him what he wants. We gave him everything, and he didn’t let his grip.”
In response to Mr. Trump’s threat to impose 25 percent of the Mexican products, Mexico has made a great effort: the leaders agreed that he would send more than two tenths of the alleged cartel heads to be judged in the United States, which he has left the prior government attitude on extradition.
President Claudia Sheinbaum sent thousands of troops of the National Guard to the State of Sinalo, the center of the Fentanil trade, where they seized huge amounts of synthetic opioids and invaded hundreds of laboratory. She sent thousands more to the US border, contributing to the number of illegal crossings.
Mrs. Sheinbaum Bent further than anyone expected to show Trump’s administration that her government was seriously involved in completing American demands, analysts say.
Yet, despite everything, the tariffs hit Tuesday after midnight.
This left people in the Mexican government, business and civil society, but also feeling annoyed, even betrayed.
“We are emphasized,” Mrs. Sheinbaum said at a press conference on Tuesday morning, a few hours after Mr. Trump’s tariffs came into force on their largest shopping partners, including Mexico and Canada. “There is no reason, justification or pronunciation that support this decision that will influence our people and peoples.”
She marked what she described as “significant actions” of her government against organized crime and noticed a drop of 50 percent of the fental seizures between October and January at the United States-Mexico border.
“We worked and gave results in security issues,” she said.
The tariffs are not only a breakup in the tissue of two farms that have been deeply intertwined for decades, but is a sudden departure from a relationship that has long been cooperation and from what many in Mexico expected to happen: a last-minute contract.
At the end of last week, a delegation from Mexico negotiated with officials in Washington, and the leaders projected confidence. Even financial markets are stable in Mexico.
Mexican Minister of Economy, Marcelo Ebard, published On the social media on Friday, “Mexico and the United States have a great future together with three emoji. Business leaders across the country have shared the same optimism by Monday.
José de Jesús Rodríguez, President of the Mexico City Chamber of Commerce, said that Mr. Trump’s decision surprised him, especially in the light of the US leader that he would not impose tariffs if Mexico produces migration and drug trade results. The results he gave included a high -level arrest barrage and 29 accused drug bosses that the US Government had long tried to come to his own soil.
But Mr. Trump, whose criticism of Mexico focused on illegal fentanil, transferred its terms on Monday, saying that Canada and Mexico had to move cars and other production to the United States. “What they have to do is build their plants, honestly other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs,” he said.
“She’s extremely disappointing and frustrating,” Mr. Rodríguez said. “The United States has broken their word and dictates the future of our commercial relationship.”
“It’s time to look at other regions,” he added.
Mrs. Sheinbaum said she had a call with Mr. Trump for Thursday, and told reporters on Tuesday that if the tariffs remain in force afterwards, her government will continue with numerous anti -aircraft measures, including tax retreats, which will be announced on Sunday. Canada also announced reciprocal tariffs.
“We don’t want to get into a trade war,” she said. “It just affects people.”
Mrs. Sheinbaum’s approval ratings in Mexico rose, and many praised her coolhead approach to handling Mr. Trump, who called her a “wonderful woman.”
But the trade wars that are now ongoing will test not only that relationship, but also how much the government can isolate its economy and its population from chaos and pain.
Mr. Predburger, the director of the sales of the pre -surge, said that he still hoped that the tariff would not last for more than a few days or that Mr. Trump would change his mind. Otherwise, “it will be catastrophic for Mexico.”
The United States is buying more than three -quarters of Mexican exports, and the tariffs will hit production, agriculture and other companies, immediately disturbing the supply chain and most likely increasing the costs of Mexican goods in the United States.
A few hours before the tariffs came into force, Manuel Sotelo, President of the Ciudada Juárez Association Association, said uncertainty was floating over many who trucks of trucks to the United States.
He said the tariffs would apply to all Mexican products, affect everything. But if they also applied to the raw materials coming from the company at the border, “then the situation will be worse for the region.”
He said the transport industry could not last a week if the store was frozen.
When Mr. Trump hit Mexico with tariffs during his first term, he made a surgical response, aiming to retaliate the tariffs to the products produced in the Republican states are considered part of the Trump base – such as Kentucky Bourbon.
The tariffs were raised after about a year.
Preparing for the worst, Mexican owners of companies and trading groups have already started changing.
Antonio Lancaster, President of the Jalisco State Industrial Chamber, one of the largest exporters of food and drink – including Tequila – United States, said that chamber leaders have already discussed the state and federal government about plans to strengthen local production and refer to other export products.
“We saw that it was coming, which means that we will continue to rearrange our exports,” Mr. Lancaster said. He added, “We will eventually export to Europe, Asia or anywhere else.”
Mr. Lancaster claimed that the tariffs would ultimately hurt US consumers as well as Mexican manufacturers.
“We all lose here,” he said.
Jesús Manuel Salayandía, the coordinator of the border business group, said that corporate leaders mostly met with headquarters in the United States to plan their response to the tariffs.
“They analyze whether to move to Central America, to the southern part of the country, if they will return to the United States or automate or rob certain production lines,” he said. “All this is considered.”
Mr. Salayandía said that the Mexican government, perhaps expecting a last minute contract, did not work on preparation.
They thought, “Let’s wait for Trump to tell us what happens,” he said. “But they are not working on a plan to strengthen the domestic market or to offer incentives to companies that are already here.”
Marcelo Vázquez, a state delegate of the National Association of importers and exporters of the Mexican Republic in Chihuahu, said that in the last few weeks some companies were on duty workers who had been on duty during the export of goods to the United States before the tariffs entered into force.
“But it’s just an aspirin for a headache; it doesn’t really solve the problem.”
Rocío Gallegos Contributed to reporting from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
