On May 30, President Trump announced that he would impose tariffs on products imported from Mexico, beginning at 5 percent on June 10, with a possible escalation to 25 percent by October. This threat is directed at the US’ largest trading partner thus far in 2019. President Trump’s announcement came on the same day that President Lopez Obrador submitted USMCA to the Mexican Senate, and hours after the White House began action to start the process for congressional consideration of USMCA.

The Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center held a rapid-reaction conference call on May 31 to discuss the implications of these tariffs (if implemented) for USMCA and US consumers, and how these tariffs could affect competitiveness and the global strength of the North American bloc.

Speakers for the call included: Valeria Moy, Nonresident Fellow at the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center of the Atlantic Council and Director of México, ¿Cómo vamos?; Bart Oosterveld, the C. Boyden Gray Fellow on Global Finance and Growth and Director of the Global Business & Economics Program at the Atlantic Council; and Jason Marczak, Director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center of the Atlantic Council. Maria Fernanda Perez Arguello, Associate Director at the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center of the Atlantic Council moderated the discussion.