The USMCA Treaty Will Survive: Marcelo Ebrard

Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard said Mexico is facing its most challenging period in decades due to Donald Trump’s trade policy but emphasized that USMCA will endure. Ebrard explained that the United States has moved away from the principle of comparative advantage, adopting instead a model based on market access costs. The new framework imposes country-specific tariffs and global measures on key industries such as steel, aluminum, and automotive manufacturing, altering the trade environment that Mexico built over the past thirty years.

“In short, what Mexico is arguing is that most of the difficulties with the agreement have resulted from your (the United States’) own decisions. We need to resolve them,” he said, referring to the unilateral measures imposed by the United States under Section 232 and the unresolved panels on automotive rules of origin.

Mexico seeks to resolve these disputes before the 2026 review to preserve free bilateral trade and prevent rising tensions amid growing protectionism. The strategy focuses on direct negotiation and restraint from retaliatory actions. “The treaty will remain. The treaty will survive,” Ebrard affirmed. 

“I bring a message of optimism about our country’s future because I have no doubt—none—that the strategy led by our President, Claudia Sheinbaum, will succeed,” Ebrard said.