Mexico and the United States are outlining their technical strategy for the last mile towards the review of the USMCA, next July. To fine-tune the details, Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, received the representative of the U.S. Trade Office, Jamieson Greer, this Monday. At stake is the close commercial relationship marked by 3,000 kilometers of border and almost 900 billion dollars a year. Economic security, critical minerals, and rules of origin were some of the topics discussed during the working day between Greer, Sheinbaum, her economic cabinet, and Mexican business leaders. After the meeting, at Palacio Nacional, the president shared a photograph of the day and a brief message on her social networks: “We continue to advance positively”.
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After a long day of diagnoses, exchange of figures, and conversations, the teams from both governments reported that they will continue technical discussions this week on complementary trade actions, rules of origin for key industrial products, critical minerals, and bilateral points of contention. In a brief statement, before the meeting with Sheinbaum, Greer said he was “very happy” to be in Mexico and expressed confidence in achieving progress on trade matters. According to Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, the first official bilateral negotiation meeting will take place on May 25 in Mexico City.
Ambassador Greer and Secretary @m_ebrard released a joint statement following today’s talks in Mexico City.https://t.co/gU4VKB7mwz
— United States Trade Representative (@USTradeRep) April 20, 2026
During this U.S. visit where Mexico played host, the Mexican Secretary of Economy added that sectoral tariffs on steel, automobiles, concerns regarding agricultural matters, and intellectual property were addressed. The federal official assured that these meetings, prior to Canada’s integration, had positive results and contribute to the continuity of the USMCA. “The USMCA review process is going very well. All participants agree that it is important for Mexico and the United States to integrate more, to understand what will replace things we bring from Asia,” he indicated.
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Among those attending the bankers’ club were the heir to the América Móvil empire, Carlos Slim Domit, and the president of Grupo Bimbo, Daniel Servitje. In addition, a large group of representatives from the automotive sector were cited: Rogelio Garza, president of the Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA); Francisco Garza, president of General Motors in Mexico; Rodrigo Centeno, president of Nissan Mexico; Daniel González, president of Stellantis Mexico, among others. The business community shared its concerns about the persistence of sectoral tariffs in Washington.
The steel sector, one of the hardest hit by Donald Trump’s protectionist wall, with a 50% tariff, also attended the meeting with Greer. Among those present were Máximo Vedoya, director of Ternium Mexico; Guillermo Vogel, vice president of the World Council of Tenaris Tubos de Acero de México; Raúl Gutiérrez Muguerza, president of Deacero; Víctor Martínez-Cairo, president of ArcelorMittal; Pedro Rivera González, director of Minera Autlán, among other businessmen. José Medina Mora, president of the Business Coordinating Council (CCE), shared upon leaving the meeting that they are seeking from the U.S. Government that Mexican exports complying with rules of origin be exempt from tariff payments. At the end of the day, Greer held a meeting with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce in the country.
Beyond the photographs and mutual praise, the second round of talks between Mexico and the United States seeks to draw a roadmap for the upcoming July negotiation. However, the playing field is still slippery. While the governments of Mexico and Canada have openly advocated for the agreement’s permanence, the Trump Administration has on more than one occasion questioned the advisability of maintaining the USMCA.
