American steel, bourbon and pork will soon cost more in Mexico, after the government enacted new levies in retaliation for the Trump administration’s decision to include the country in its metals tariffs.
The Mexican tariffs, which also hit imported cheese and certain fruits and vegetables, take effect immediately.
Mexico’s announcement comes a few days after Canada released its own list of retaliatory tariffs after President Donald Trump’s decision to end exemptions from the steel and aluminum tariffs that were granted to Mexico and Canada in March.
The White House has been using the threat of tariffs to push Mexico and Canada to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement to terms Trump deems more favorable to the U.S. Both countries have resisted that effort, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the tariffs “insulting.”
The 10 percent tax on aluminum and 25 percent tax on steel coming into the U.S. now applies to all countries except Brazil, Argentina, South Korea and Australia, although aluminum from South Korea is still subject to tariffs.
Several of the impacted countries have filed complaints with the World Trade Organization and say the U.S. tariffs are illegal.