Canada and Mexico leaders are credited with evading the latest American definitions

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On Wednesday afternoon, Mexican and Canadian officials spent the feverish search from the list of “mutual tariffs” of Donald Trump for the latest bad news from Washington, just to discover that they were granted.

Exemption from the goods that were exported to the United States under the Free Trade Agreement of the three countries, who were afraid of those who were afraid that the American president would put More customs tariffs On the largest commercial partners.

“Mexico It has no additional tariff. . . This is because of the good relationship that we built between the Mexico government and the United States government, based on respect, ”President Claudia Shinbaum said the next day.

But Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carne, who was currently in the campaign’s path before the general elections later this month, warned “the measures conducted by the American administration, while not specifically targeted CanadaThe global economy will be torn and negatively affects global economic growth. “

In response, he announced that 25 percent of the customs tariffs on the USMCA compatible vehicles imported from the United States that will enter in the coming days. According to a Canadian government official, the procedure is expected to raise 8 billion Canadian dollars ($ 5.6 billion) that will be used to provide relief packages to protect workers and companies.

Despite the difference in tone, both leaders claim that their approaches this week helped them avoid what Trump calls the definitions “Editing Day”.

Despite the agreement on the free trade agreement with the United States during the first period of Trump, the President threatened them with definitions for several months, and they blamed Ottawa and Mexico due to the high levels of illegal immigration and the deadly ovens trafficking.

After imposing fees on steel and aluminum imports by 25 percent after a short period of taking office, the US President applied a 25 percent tax on all imports from Canada and Mexico, with the exception of Canadian oil and energy products, which faced 10 percent. A few days later, he postponed the measures, only to reverse his decision last month and after that U-Tor again.

As imposed A 25 % tariff On all car imports, regardless of whether they are compatible with the Free Trade Agreement, known as USMCA, which entered into force on April 2.

In response, Ottawa imposed a 25 percent tariff on a wide range of American products worth 29.8 billion Canadian dollars.

Mexico did not diminish, instead, continued what Shinbom called a “cold presidency” strategy to meet Trump’s demands instead of confronting it.

Mexican officials said on Thursday that the strategy had resulted and that they would focus on obtaining a better deal. “It is a great achievement,” I say, from the point of view of the place where we started not long ago that there will be no exemptions. “

Xinbom and Carney also enjoyed large bumps in opinion polls since Trump began to impose a tariff on their countries. The fees for the American president, along with the threats that threaten it at the Canada’s appendix, as a state of 51, have angered the north of the border, as the Canadians boycotted the American goods and the position of the new Prime Minister who won at home.

But although avoiding the latest tariff curve, the effect of the current fees may be severe.

According to Trump’s latest executive, the 25 % Mexico and Mexico tariffs on non -USMCA goods will decrease to 12 percent if the United States is happy to comply with it to stop fentanel and stop illegal immigration.

However, goods that do not comply with USMCA rules, as well as steel, aluminum and cars, will remain subject to a 25 percent tariff.

The manufacture of cars, which has long been considered at the heart of regional economic integration, as the famous parts cross all the three countries of assembly, are particularly vulnerable to fees, as millions of jobs depend on the sector.

Stelantis car maker imposed American workers and stopped some production in Mexico and Canada.

Mexico’s economy is in a sharp slowdown and many economists believe that it slipped towards stagnation, while Carney has sparked fears that any negative impact of definitions on the American economy can hit its neighbors.

“When the United States has a stagnation, it is very difficult for Canada to avoid something similar,” he said.

There seems to be a wider change in USMCA, as Carney said that there were “many violations” to the extent that the free trade agreement needed “re -negotiation.”

However, Mexico remains optimistic, as Shinbaum is trying on Thursday to lure companies to invest in production compatible with USMCA in the country.

“We believe that with the dialogue we created, there are conditions for a better deal,” she said.