By Lety Villarreal
Ciudad Ju\u00e1rez, Mexico, Feb 4 (EFE).- Despite a temporary pause on tariffs, uncertainty clouds the economy along Mexico’s northern border, where the region’s export-driven industries remain on edge amid ongoing concerns about US trade policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Donald Trump\u2019s announcement to pause the 25 percent tariff policy on Mexican products has done very little to remove the skepticism that has engulfed Mexico’s northern border, which is a key hub for the nation’s maquiladora industry, according to local business owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The maquiladora industry refers to a system of manufacturing operations, primarily located in Mexico, where factories import materials and equipment on a duty-free and tariff-free basis for assembly, processing, or manufacturing. The finished products are then exported, often back to the country where the raw materials originated, such as the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Ciudad Ju\u00e1rez, where 60 percent of jobs are tied to the export sector and external sales reached $59 billion in 2023, apprehensions remain prevalent in the private sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“With Trump’s arrival, this trade war and economic exchange become complicated. He has repeatedly signaled his intent to impose tariffs on Mexican products,” Thor Salayand\u00eda, representative of the Border Business Block (BEF), told EFE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lingering Concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum secured a temporary pause on the tariffs in exchange for deploying 10,000 National Guard troopers to the border to combat fentanyl trafficking and irregular migration, business leaders remain uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Manuel Sotelo Su\u00e1rez, president of the Transport Association of Ciudad Ju\u00e1rez and vice president of the National Chamber of Freight Transport’s Northern Zone (Canacar), expressed his concerns over Trump’s threats to impose tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat is clear is that the situation is still uncertain, especially in Chihuahua state and Ciudad Ju\u00e1rez,” Sotelo Su\u00e1rez said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The region\u2019s export economy heavily relies on the manufacturing industry, with 85 percent of exports and imports tied to this sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sotelo Su\u00e1rez said if tariffs impacted Mexican products specifically, it would affect 15 percent of the region\u2019s imports and exports, which could be damaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cross-Border Impact<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The uncertainty extends to transport operators, like Juan Manuel Nevarez, a driver for Fletes Sotelo. “This would worsen the long lines and hurt the economy. We’re already facing heavy traffic at the border, and additional tariffs would make things much worse,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n