The United States and Mexico agreed on Thursday to keep talking about a potential trade deal for 90 more days, averting the heavier tariffs President Trump had threated to impose on imports across the southern border starting on Friday.
The news of the pause, announced by Mr. Trump and President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico on social media, came after the two leaders spoke by phone on Thursday morning. The agreement will keep in place the 25 percent tariff on all goods from Mexico not covered by an existing free trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada. That rate had been set to rise to 30 percent on Friday, the deadline Mr. Trump has set for countries across the globe to strike deals or face import levies of as much as 50 percent.
Mr. Trump imposed the 25 percent tariff on some Mexican goods in March, saying it was in response to the flow of the deadly opiate fentanyl across the border.
“The complexities of a Deal with Mexico are somewhat different than other Nations because of both the problems, and assets, of the Border,” Mr. Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social site.
Ms. Sheinbaum confirmed the pause on additional tariffs in her own social media post. She said the extension would be used to “build a long-term agreement through dialogue.”
Mr. Trump said Mexico would continue to face 25 percent tariffs on cars, and 50 percent tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper. Mexico has been lobbying to have those reduced or removed.
James Wagner covers Latin America, including sports, and is based in Mexico City. A Nicaraguan American from the Washington area, he is a native Spanish speaker.
Ashley Ahn covers breaking news for The Times from New York.
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