Tariffs, threats, and economic sanctions: Trump’s tense relationship with Latin America

Now in his second term, his diplomatic strategy towards Latin America and the Caribbean has remained consistent. The spirit of this approach can be summed up best by the US president himself. On January 22, 2025, Trump said of the region: “They need us much more than we need them. We don’t need them. They need us – everybody needs us.”

Mexico:

In response to these statements, Sheinbaum demanded that Mexican sovereignty be respected. But the controversy did not end there. In February 2025, Trump threatened to impose tariffs of 25-30% on Mexican products if Mexico did not reduce the flow of fentanyl across the border, as well as increase immigration control on its side of the border.

Ultimately, during that back and forth, the tariffs were not imposed following a telephone conversation between the leaders, during which Sheinbaum committed to increasing the number of National Guardsmen on the border by 10,000. Yet this week, Trump announced 30% tariffs on Mexico