The leaders of Mexico and Canada – two of the US’s largest trading partners – have responded to the US president’s steep taxes on imports.
The two countries have hit back with retaliatory tariffs on President Donald Trump’s steep tax on goods imported from its neighbours.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum both announced the counter-tariffs on Saturday night.
Mr Trudeau said Canada would impose 25% tariffs on $155bn Canadian dollars (£85.9bn) of US goods in response to Mr Trump’s 25% tariffs on goods. Energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, would be taxed at a rate of 10%.
Duties on $30bn Canadian dollars (£16.6bn) in trade in American alcohol and fruit will take effect on Tuesday when the US tariffs are set to start. The remaining $125bn Canadian dollars (£69.3bn) will take effect in 21 days.
Mr Trudeau opened his speech with a passionate message aimed at American consumers.
“It will have real consequences for you, the American people,” he said, saying it would result in higher prices on groceries and other goods.
The outgoing prime minister channelled the views of many Canadians who feel betrayed by their neighbour and longtime ally.
Mr Trudeau reminded Americans that Canadian troops fought alongside them in Afghanistan and helped them respond to domestic crises including the wildfires in California and Hurricane Katrina.
“The actions taken by the White House split us apart instead of bringing us together,” Mr Trudeau said. He also encouraged Canadians to “choose Canadian products and services rather than American ones”.
Ms Sheinbaum said in a post on X that she had ordered her economic minister to implement tariff and non-tariff measures to defend Mexico’s interests.
“We categorically reject the White House’s slander that the Mexican government has alliances with criminal organisations, as well as any intention of meddling in our territory,” Ms Sheinbaum wrote.
“If the United States government and its agencies wanted to address the serious fentanyl consumption in their country, they could fight the sale of drugs on the streets of their major cities, which they don’t do and the laundering of money that this illegal activity generates that has done so much harm to its population.”
The Trump administration had said that the tariffs aimed to stop the spread and manufacturing of the opioid fentanyl, as well as pressuring America’s neighbours to limit illegal immigration to the US.
Report By: PRNigeria.com
