The executive order of Donald Trump's government to impose tariffs of 25 percent on products from Mexico and Canada will have a significant impact on the automotive industry, especially on manufacturers and car buyers in the United States, who will face an increase in prices, experts stated.
Alberto Bustamante, director of the National Agency of Automotive Sector Suppliers (Anapsa), explained that the tariffs will not only affect cars produced in Mexico entering the United States, but also Mexican auto parts that American automobile manufacturers need, representing approximately 43 percent. This will impact the final consumer in the United States, as the increase in costs will be passed on to vehicles purchased by Americans.
Gabriel Padilla, general director of the National Auto Parts Industry (INA), estimated that the imposition of a 25 percent tariff could result in losses of up to 24.126 billion dollars for the Mexican industry, while increasing the value of a car in the United States by around 2,414 dollars.
For his part, Oscar Silva, partner at the German firm Roland Berger, indicated that absorbing the impact of these tariffs is not feasible in the current situation, as the automotive industry faces multiple pressures, including the consequences of the pandemic and the shift towards electrification.
Regarding the global implications, some experts suggest that in the dispute between the United States, Mexico, and Canada over tariffs, China could emerge as a beneficiary, which could lead to the implementation of additional rules to counteract this country.
Finally, Mexican industrialists from the Mexican Chamber of the Construction Industry (CMIC) rejected the intention of the Trump administration to impose 25 percent tariffs on Mexican products, arguing that this would violate the USMCA, severely affect regional competitiveness, and disrupt the functioning of global value chains.
