People’s Mañanera July 31

ByMexico Solidarity

Every day, President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a morning presidential press conference and Mexico Solidarity Media posts English language summaries, translated by Mexico Solidarity’s Pedro Gellert Frank. Previous press conference summaries are available here.

Tariff Agreement with the United States

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that a favorable tariff agreement was reached with the United States during a phone call with Donald Trump. In that conversation, they agreed on a 90-day period to continue discussions and work toward a long-term agreement.

Among the most important points are that tariffs will not be increased, the USMCA is safeguarded, and it was explained that the 25% tariff applies to products not included in the agreement. In addition, tariffs will remain in place for the automotive industry, except for parts manufactured in Mexico and Canada.

Trade Agreement Details

Minister of Foreign Relations Marcelo Ebrard indicated that 84.4% of trade between Mexico and the United States is not subject to tariffs because it falls under USMCA provisions. He emphasized that today’s outcome was achieved without Mexico making any additional concessions.

Ebrard clarified that the “non-tariff barriers” mentioned by President Trump refer to trade conditions that are not monetary in nature but still impact commercial relations between the two countries.

Priority: Maintain the Commercial Relationship

The President stressed that what is most important is for Mexico to continue gaining the greatest possible benefit globally and to maintain a strong commercial relationship with the United States as strategic partners. She emphasized that Mexico is a key player in the U.S. economy, being its main trading partner.

Progress in Bilateral Security

Sheinbaum explained that significant progress has been made in the security agreement with the United States. The agreement is based on principles such as respect for sovereignty, mutual recognition of borders, trust between both countries, and cooperation without subordination.

Positive Economic News

The President hailed two pieces of good news announced yesterday:

• Economic growth of 0.7%, despite a challenging global environment.
• An increase in household income, according to the National Survey of Income and Expenditures conducted by the National Statistics Institute (INEGI).

Furthermore, the same survey revealed a reduction in income inequality. During Felipe Calderón’s presidency, the richest households earned 35 times more than the poorest households. Today, that gap has decreased to 14 times more.