Exclusive: Mexico says U.S. tariffs will not pressure NAFTA talks

By Antonio De la Jara

SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Mexico’s Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said on Thursday he would not allow the United States to use planned tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to pressure the country in ongoing NAFTA talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to offer Canada and Mexico a 30-day exemption from the planned tariffs, which could be extended based on progress in NAFTA talks, a White House official said on Wednesday night. [nL5N1QP3ZG]

“This has nothing to do with the [NAFTA] negotiations,” Guajardo told Reuters on the sidelines of the signing ceremony for an Asia-Pacific trade agreement in Santiago. “Under no circumstance will we be subject to any type of pressure.”

Guajardo said Mexico was willing to spend “as much time as necessary” to resolve NAFTA negotiations successfully.

“Mexico will not be leaving the treaty,” Guajardo said. “NAFTA exists between three countries. The others are deciding whether they stay or leave, not Mexico.”

Disclaimer: Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. All CFDs (stocks, indexes, futures) and Forex prices are not provided by exchanges but rather by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual market price, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Therefore Fusion Media doesn`t bear any responsibility for any trading losses you might incur as a result of using this data.

Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.