Breaking All the Rules

About this episode

Mariana interviews Juan Carlos Baker about the impact of tariffs on Mexico and their implications for trade and manufacturing.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Juan Carlos Baker, former USMCA negotiator and Director General for North America at the Ministry of the Economy, about the impact tariffs have had on Mexico and how they have served President’s Trump goal of curbing the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. They also discuss why 83% of Mexican exports are currently being exempted from tariffs, the consequences of the U.S. signing agreements with Japan, Europe, South Korea before its largest trading partner, and the unintended (or intended) consequences for North American automobile manufacturers who are still subject to 25% tariffs. They also offer a factual description behind Chinese exports and investments in Mexico and on how Mexico has been in breach of USMCA.

People in this episode

Host: Mariana

Guest: Juan Carlos Baker

Topics covered

• tariffs
• USMCA
• fentanyl
• trade agreements
• automobile manufacturing
• Chinese investments

Keywords

• tariffs
• Mexico
• USMCA
• fentanyl
• automobile manufacturers
• trade agreements
• Chinese exports

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: USMCA, President Trump, North America, China

Places: Mexico, U.S., Japan, Europe, South Korea

More episodes of Mexico Matters

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• It's the Monopolies, Stupid · April 9, 2026 · 49 min
• U.S.-Mexico Tensions in the Era of the Don-Roe Doctrine · February 23, 2026 · 38 min
• Trump the Price Setter, Mexico the Price Taker · January 20, 2026 · 41 min
• Until You Run Out of Other People’s Money · December 19, 2025 · 37 min