Mexico imposes retaliatory tariffs on dozens of U.S. goods

- Mexico on Thursday began imposing its second stage of retaliatory tariffs on dozens of U.S. goods in response to President Donald Trump’s duties on Mexican steel and aluminum exports to the United States.

The tariffs complete Mexico’s two-part retaliation on almost $3 billion worth of U.S. products. The Mexican government, which first announced its retaliation list last month, started the action on June 5 by eliminating preferential tariffs established under NAFTA on a number of products, including pork, potatoes and whiskey. The Mexican government confirmed on Thursday that the increased tariffs are going into effect.

Most of Mexico’s retaliatory tariffs will be imposed on U.S. agricultural exports, such as apples, cranberries and various cheeses. Mexico is also targeting a number of American steel products. The majority of products on the list will face tariffs between 15 and 25 percent.

Mexico’s retaliation comes after the Trump administration decided in May to end its exemptions to the tariffs on steel and aluminum for U.S. allies, such as Canada and the European Union. Canada and the EU have also pursued retaliatory tariffs on a total of almost $16 billion worth of U.S. products, such as peanut butter and kitchenware.

Mexico has said the duties will remain in place as long as the Trump administration maintains its tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminum.

Trump’s steel tariffs add to the growing trade tensions between the U.S. and Mexico that Mexico’s President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador will have to deal with in the coming months and when he takes office on Dec. 1.