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Auto giant Ford reported a slight drop in first quarter US sales Tuesday, while investors await details of President Donald Trump’s upcoming tariffs this week and assess the effects of duties on major carmakers.The automaker reported a 1.3 percent dip in sales in the world’s biggest economy, to 501,291 vehicles, compared with the same period in 2024.This was mainly due to the discontinuation of certain vehicle models and rental fleet sales timing, the company said.But its first quarter figure exceeded a forecast by automotive research firm Edmunds.Ford maintained in a statement that it saw “strong retail sales in March.”It pointed to the sales of its best-selling F-Series pickup trucks and the Ranger and Maverick models as boosts to its overall performance.But economists warn that Trump’s sweeping tariffs on autos and parts, over time, could cause average auto prices to surge by thousands of dollars.Auto tariffs of 25 percent are set to kick in Thursday. Trump is due to announce additional reciprocal levies midweek to address trade practices his administration deems unfair.The reciprocal action could further affect US neighbors Canada and Mexico, both key players in North American vehicle manufacturing supply chains.JPMorgan analysts have estimated that over 80 percent of Ford’s US sales are produced domestically.The American Automotive Policy Council representing the big three automakers have warned that tariffs should be implemented in a way that avoids lifting costs for consumers and preserves the industry’s competitiveness.

A Democratic US senator launched a fiery protest speech against President Donald Trump’s “unconstitutional” actions late Monday, then kept going, and going, and 13 hours later Tuesday morning was still going.Senator Cory Booker’s display of endurance — to hold the floor he must remain standing and cannot even go to the bathroom — recalled the famous scene in Frank Capra’s 1939 film classic “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”Although Booker’s stunt was not actually blocking the majority Republican Party from doing anything in the Senate, as would be the case in a true filibuster, his defiance quickly became a rallying point for beleaguered Democrats.”I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis,” Booker said as he launched into his speech.”These are not normal times in America,” Booker said, his voice cracking. “And they should not be treated as such.”Booker, from New Jersey, seized command in the chamber at 7:00 pm (2300 GMT) Monday and was still speaking Tuesday morning as Washington began its day.Booker lashed out at Trump’s radical cost-cutting policies which have seen his top advisor Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, slash entire government programs without consent from Congress.And the senator said Trump’s aggressive seizing of ever-more executive power had put American democracy itself at risk.”Unnecessary hardships are being borne by Americans of all backgrounds. And institutions which are special in America, which are precious and which are unique in our country, are being recklessly — and I would say even unconstitutionally — affected, attacked, even shattered,” Booker said.”In just 71 days the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy,” he said.Because Booker’s obstruction of the Senate floor did not occur during voting on any bill it was not technically a filibuster.But his marathon may yet disrupt the Senate when business gets underway on Tuesday.”Next vote: TBA,” or to be announced, the Senate Press Gallery posted on X early Tuesday.In the lastest portion of his mega-speech, Booker was discussing fears that Trump will undermine or dismantle the Social Security Administration.”I tell you I am going to fight for your Social Security, I’m going to fight to protect the agency, I’m going to fight against unnecessary cuts that hurt the service it gives,” Booker said.The longest Senate speech on record was delivered by South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond, who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas conducted a 21-hour talk-a-thon in September, 2013 as a protest against the health coverage law known as Obamacare. 

With American entertainer Kid Rock at his side, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday clamping down on ticket scalping and live event pricing.The directive seeks to prevent “unscrupulous middlemen” from profiting off reselling tickets for concerts and other events at an “enormous markup”.It orders the US attorney general and the Treasury secretary to use “all legal means” to stamp out soaring price gouging, and calls on the Federal Trade Commission to “ensure price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchase process, including the secondary ticketing market.””You can buy a ticket for $100. By the time you check out, it’s $170,” said Kid Rock, who wore a straw fedora and American-flag emblazoned red suit to the Oval Office. The “Born Free” singer, who appeared with Trump on the presidential campaign trail in 2024, added that due to “bots” tickets were being relisted “for sometimes a 400-500 percent markup.”The administration of Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden also targeted scalpers, suing concert booking website Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation Entertainment last year over monopoly allegations.In a statement Monday, Live Nation, which has denied monopoly allegations, said it supports Trump’s order, and called for enforcement. 

US trading partners scrambled Tuesday to prepare for the latest raft of Donald Trump tariffs, after the US president left unclear who would be targeted but promised to be “very kind” in addressing what he says are unfair trade imbalances.Trump — who has been making unprecedented use of presidential powers since taking office in January — said he could announce as early as Tuesday night exactly what “reciprocal tariffs” will be imposed.According to the Republican billionaire, the world’s biggest economy has been “ripped off by every country in the world,” and he is promising “Liberation Day” for the United States.Asked for details, he told reporters Monday: “You’re going to see in two days, which is maybe tomorrow night or probably Wednesday.”But he added: “We’re going to be very nice, relatively speaking, we’re going to be very kind.”Critics warn that the strategy risks a global trade war, provoking a chain reaction of retaliation by major trading partners like China, Canada and the European Union.Over the weekend, China, South Korea and Japan agreed to strengthen free trade between themselves.But Trump said he was not worried the levies would push allies toward Beijing, adding that a deal on TikTok could also be tied to China tariffs.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the goal on Wednesday would be to announce “country-based tariffs,” although Trump remains committed to imposing separate, sector-specific charges.The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump’s advisers pitched imposing a 20 percent global tariff to hit almost all US trading partners. Trump has remained vague, saying his tariffs would be “far more generous” than ones already levied against US products.The uncertainty has jolted markets, hammering equities across the board and stoking recession fears. Asian stocks, which fell sharply Monday after Trump said his tariffs would include “all countries”, rebounded somewhat Tuesday after his promises to be “nice”.- ‘Economic pain’ -Trump’s fixation on tariffs is fanning US recession fears. Goldman Sachs analysts raised their 12-month recession probability from 20 percent to 35 percent.This reflects a “lower growth forecast, falling confidence, and statements from White House officials indicating willingness to tolerate economic pain.” Goldman Sachs also lifted its forecast for underlying inflation at the end of 2025.For now, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Trump’s tariffs were causing anxiety, but their global economic impact should not be dramatic.China and Canada have imposed counter-tariffs on US goods, while the EU unveiled its own measures to start mid-April.EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday the bloc still hopes for a “negotiated solution”, but that “all instruments are on the table” to hit back if necessary.The EU has already been hit by several US tariff announcements since Trump returned to office in January, including a 25-percent levy on auto imports coming into force on Thursday.Besides reciprocal country tariffs, Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcement could entail additional sector-specific levies on the likes of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. Economists have expected the upcoming salvo could target the 15 percent of partners that have persistent trade imbalances with the United States, a group that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dubbed a “Dirty 15.”The United States has some of its biggest goods deficits with China, the EU, Mexico, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Canada and India.- ‘Existential moment’ -US trade partners are rushing to minimize their exposure, with reports suggesting India might lower some duties.On Tuesday, Vietnam said it would slash duties on a range of goods including cars, liquefied gas and some agricultural products.Japan announced it will set up around 1,000 “consultation centers” for businesses hit by US tariffs.Speaking by phone to his US counterpart on Monday, Mexican Foreign Secretary Juan Ramon de la Fuente urged the preservation of free trade agreements between North American countries, and discussed the automobile industry, where 25 percent tariffs are poised to come into effect on April 3.European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said Monday that Europe should move towards economic independence, telling France Inter radio that Europe faces an “existential moment.”Separately, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Trump on “productive negotiations” towards a UK-US trade deal, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the EU would respond firmly to Trump but was open to compromise.It is “entirely possible” for fresh tariffs to be swiftly reduced or put on hold, said Greta Peisch, a former official at the US Trade Representative’s office.In February, Washington paused steep levies on Mexican and Canadian imports for a month as the North American neighbors pursued negotiations.

Sam Mendes will release four movies about The Beatles in the same month, the director announced Monday, with Paul Mescal playing Paul McCartney and Barry Keoghan portraying Ringo Starr in “the first bingeable theatrical experience.”The “four-film cinematic event,” hitting theaters in April 2028, will each focus on a different member of the legendary British pop quartet, with Harris Dickinson playing John Lennon and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.”Each one is told from the particular perspective of just one of the guys. They intersect in different ways — sometimes overlapping, sometimes not,” Mendes told the CinemaCon movie theater convention in Las Vegas.”They’re four very different human beings. Perhaps this is a chance to understand them a little more deeply. But together, all four films will tell the story of the greatest band in history.”Filming is about to begin, and is expected to take more than a year, said Mendes. The exact order in which the movies will be released has not yet been revealed.”I’d been trying to make a film about the Beatles for years, but I had temporarily given up,” explained “American Beauty” Oscar-winner Mendes.”I just felt the story of the band was too huge to fit into a single movie, and that turning it into a TV mini-series just somehow didn’t feel right.”The announcement came at the start of the CinemaCon trade convention, where movie theater owners gather annually in Las Vegas to hear Hollywood studios’ plans for the coming months and years.While 2025 had been widely touted as the year that the movie industry would bounce back, the box office has so far endured a terrible start, reeling from high-profile flops like Disney’s live-action “Snow White” and sci-fi “Mickey 17.”The $1.3 billion taken in North America receipts so far is seven percent below an already lean Q1 2024, which was itself derailed by the previous year’s massive Hollywood strikes.All this is roiling an industry that has never fully returned to pre-pandemic profit levels, and had informally adopted the motto “Survive till ’25.”So CinemaCon at the Caesars Palace casino is a key chance for Hollywood to present upcoming films to theater owners — and, hopefully, inspire a bit of confidence that the good times are coming back.- Spidey and Bond? -The event kicked off Monday night with a presentation from Sony Pictures.As well as sharing news about Mendes’ “Beatles” movies, the studio unveiled information about its wildly popular “Spider-Man” films.A new live-action film starring Tom Holland, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” was confirmed for July 2026, while animated movie “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” received a June 2027 release date.The studio also teased this summer’s “28 Years Later,” a long-in-development apocalyptic horror sequel from Danny Boyle, starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes. Boyle nodded to speculation about the next actor to play James Bond by joking that Taylor-Johnson “may or may not be the next Bond” — and how Fiennes “probably should have been.”Later in the week at CinemaCon, Amazon MGM will give a major presentation, just days after unveiling new producers for the 007 franchise it spent billions of dollars acquiring.Warner Bros. will be desperate to recover from flops like “Mickey 17” and “The Alto Knights” — a Robert De Niro film that took just $5 million worldwide on its recent opening weekend, despite having cost $45 million to make.The studio has a mouth-watering lineup, including Leonardo DiCaprio film “One Battle After Another,” and a major new “Superman” film that it hopes can revitalize its entire flagging DC superhero franchise. In a near-annual tradition, Paramount will showcase its latest “Mission: Impossible” film, prompting the inevitable rumors of a Tom Cruise appearance on the stage of the casino’s giant auditorium.Other studios due to present this week include Universal Pictures, with its latest “Jurassic World” and “Wicked” sequels, and Lionsgate, home of Keanu Reeves’ many “John Wick” movies.Disney, with an ever-growing roster of Marvel superheroes and a new “Avatar” sequel due in December, will wrap up the event on Thursday night.

US trading partners were bracing Tuesday for an expected fresh raft of Donald Trump tariffs, while the US president promised to be “very kind” in addressing what he says are unfair trade imbalances.Trump — who has been making unprecedented use of presidential powers since taking office in January — said he could announce as early as Tuesday night exactly what “reciprocal tariffs” will be imposed.The Republican billionaire insists that action is needed because the world’s biggest economy has been “ripped off by every country in the world,” and is promising “Liberation Day” for the United States.Asked for details, he told reporters Monday: “You’re going to see in two days, which is maybe tomorrow night or probably Wednesday.”But he added: “We’re going to be very nice, relatively speaking, we’re going to be very kind.”Critics warn that the strategy risks a global trade war, provoking a chain reaction of retaliation by major trading partners like China, Canada and the European Union.Over the weekend, China, South Korea and Japan agreed to strengthen free trade between themselves.But Trump said he was not worried the levies would push allies toward Beijing, adding that a deal on TikTok could also be tied to China tariffs.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the goal on Wednesday would be to announce “country-based tariffs,” although Trump remains committed to imposing separate, sector-specific charges.The uncertainty has jolted markets, hammering equities across the board and stoking recession fears. Asian stocks, which fell sharply Monday after Trump said his tariffs would include “all countries”, rebounded a little Tuesday.The Wall Street Journal reported that advisers have considered imposing global tariffs of up to 20 percent, to hit almost all US trading partners. Trump has remained vague, saying his tariffs would be “far more generous” than ones already levied against US products.- ‘Economic pain’ -Trump’s fixation on tariffs is fanning US recession fears. Goldman Sachs analysts raised their 12-month recession probability from 20 percent to 35 percent.This reflects a “lower growth forecast, falling confidence, and statements from White House officials indicating willingness to tolerate economic pain.” Goldman Sachs also lifted its forecast for underlying inflation at the end of 2025.China and Canada have imposed counter-tariffs on US goods, while the EU unveiled its own measures to start mid-April.For now, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Trump’s tariffs were causing anxiety, but their global economic impact should not be dramatic.Ryan Sweet of Oxford Economics said to “expect the unexpected,” anticipating that Trump would “take aim at some of the largest offenders.”Besides reciprocal country tariffs, Trump could unveil additional sector-specific levies on the likes of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. He earlier announced auto tariffs to take effect Thursday.Economists have expected the upcoming salvo could target the 15 percent of partners that have persistent trade imbalances with the United States, a group that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dubbed a “Dirty 15.”The United States has some of its biggest goods deficits with China, the EU, Mexico, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Canada and India.- ‘Existential moment’ -US trade partners are rushing to minimize their exposure, with reports suggesting India might lower some duties.On Tuesday, Vietnam said it would slash duties on a range of goods including cars, liquefied gas and some agricultural products.Japan announced it will set up around 1,000 “consultation centers” for businesses hit by US tariffs.Speaking by phone to his US counterpart on Monday, Mexican Foreign Secretary Juan Ramon de la Fuente urged the preservation of free trade agreements between North American countries, and discussed the automobile industry, where 25 percent tariffs are poised to come into effect on April 3.European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said Monday that Europe should move towards economic independence, telling France Inter radio that Europe faces an “existential moment.”Separately, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Trump on “productive negotiations” towards a UK-US trade deal, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the EU would respond firmly to Trump but was open to compromise.It is “entirely possible” for fresh tariffs to be swiftly reduced or put on hold, said Greta Peisch, a former official at the US Trade Representative’s office.In February, Washington paused steep levies on Mexican and Canadian imports for a month as the North American neighbors pursued negotiations.

President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the top US military officer will testify Tuesday before a Senate hearing, where he will likely be grilled about his readiness for the job given his lack of required experience.Democrats have sharply criticized the dismissal of general CQ Brown — the previous chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — and other senior officers, accusing Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of seeking to ensure the military is led by people loyal to the president.In an unusual move, Trump nominated Dan Caine, a retired lieutenant general, to replace Brown earlier this year.Nominees for chair of the Joint Chiefs must have served as the head of a military branch, as a commander of a combatant command or as vice chair — none of which Caine has done — but the president may waive that requirement.Caine has served in positions including associate director for military affairs at the CIA as well as in various operational and staff roles, and flew more than 150 hours in combat as an F-16 pilot, an aircraft in which he logged more than 2,800 hours in total.A military official who served with Caine said shortly after Trump announced his nomination that the retired general has “never been a partisan actor, always been apolitical and focused on just simply warfighting and whatever the mission success is.”- ‘Razin’ Caine -Trump has described Caine as “an accomplished pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur, and a ‘warfighter’ with significant interagency and special operations experience.”The president apparently became enamored of Caine after meeting him in Iraq during his first term, where the general told Trump that his nickname was “Razin.””I said, wait a minute, your name is Razin Caine? I love you, I’ve been looking for you for five years… this is what I want,” Trump told an investor forum in February.Trump abruptly fired Brown without explanation, leaving the vice chair to lead the Joint Chiefs in an acting capacity.Hegseth said following Brown’s dismissal that the general is “an honorable man” but “not the right man for the moment.”In addition to Brown, top US Navy officer admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Air Force vice chief of staff and three senior military lawyers have also been sacked.Hegseth has insisted the president is simply choosing the leaders he wants, but Democratic lawmakers including Jack Reed — the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee — have raised concerns about the potential politicization of the traditionally apolitical US military.

Donald Trump’s tumultuous return to the White House will face a popularity test Tuesday with an election in Wisconsin that has seen the US president’s most high-profile aide Elon Musk doling out million-dollar checks to voters.Since taking power in January, Trump has overseen radical reform, moving to dismantle swaths of the federal government, upending foreign policy and launching trade wars that threaten to reignite inflation.The president’s targeting of migrants, judges, “woke” culture and any critics have been lauded by his supporters, but have not yet faced a major test among voters.Wisconsin’s election of a judge to join the state’s supreme court pits conservative Brad Schimel against liberal Susan Crawford.The outgoing judge was backed by Democrats, so a Schimel win would tilt the court right, while Crawford would preserve its liberal leanings.Musk has argued that a conservative win is needed to cement Trump’s national agenda, with the supreme court race having an impact on a potential redrawing of Congressional districts in the swing state ahead of midterm elections next year.Trump’s Republican party in Washington holds a slim 218-213 majority in the House of Representatives over Democrats, and an even slimmer lead in the Senate.Trump attacked Crawford on social media on Monday, accusing her of “letting child molesters and rapists off easy.””She will be one of the most Liberal Judges ever elected, which would be a DISASTER for Wisconsin and, the United States of America,” he said.Also on Tuesday, voters in Florida will elect members of the House in two heavily Republican districts, which were vacated by Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and his original nominee for attorney general, Matt Gaetz.- Most expensive race -The Wisconsin poll is expected to be close, with Trump narrowly beating his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential election by less than 30,000 votes in the state.Musk, who spent roughly $277 million on Trump’s election campaign, has piled more resources into the Wisconsin vote. He has handed out two prize checks of $1 million each to voters, and also given $100 each to voters who sign his petition against “activist judges.”According to the Brennan Center for Justice, more than $49.7 million has been spent by Schimel and his backers, including $12.2 million from Musk’s America PAC.Crawford’s campaign and those backing her have spent an estimated $40.3 million.The spending has made the Wisconsin race the most expensive in US judicial history, the center said.Crawford has accused Tesla owner Musk of seeking to buy a seat on the state supreme court to swing judgments in favor of his companies.A case regarding car dealerships filed by the electric vehicle manufacturer is potentially headed to the court.Speaking at a campaign rally on Sunday, Musk placed the national political context front and center.”What’s happening on Tuesday is a vote for which party controls the US House of Representatives,” Musk declared, arguing that the Congress was so evenly balanced that Wisconsin’s seats could decide its majority in the 2026 midterms.The billionaire’s Green Bay rally had an enthusiastic crowd, but the South African-born oligarch’s role in Wisconsin elections has provoked as much resistance as support. At a pro-Crawford rally, 65-year-old retired electrical engineer Rob Patterson held up a sign showing Musk giving a straight-armed salute. “Our Supreme Court is not for sale,” the sign read.

The US government will review $9 billion of funding for Harvard University over alleged anti-Semitism on campus, authorities said Monday, after it cut millions from Columbia University, which has also seen fierce pro-Palestinian student protests.President Donald Trump has aggressively targeted prestigious universities that saw bitter protests sparked by Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, stripping their federal funds and directing immigration officers to deport foreign student demonstrators, including those with green cards.Officials would look at $255.6 million in contracts between Harvard and the government, as well as $8.7 billion in multi-year grant commitments to the prestigious Ivy League institution, the General Services Administration said in a statement.Critics argue that the Trump administration’s campaign is retributive and will have a chilling effect on free speech, while its supporters insist it is necessary to restore order to campuses and to protect Jewish students.Education Secretary Linda McMahon said “Harvard’s failure to protect students on campus from anti-Semitic discrimination — all while promoting divisive ideologies over free inquiry — has put its reputation in serious jeopardy.” “Harvard can right these wrongs and restore itself to a campus dedicated to academic excellence and truth-seeking, where all students feel safe on its campus,” she added.In a statement, Harvard president Alan Garner said: “If this funding is stopped, it will halt life-saving research and imperil important scientific research and innovation.””The government has informed us that they are considering this action because they are concerned that the University has not fulfilled its obligations to curb and combat antisemitic harassment.”Garner objected to this characterization, saying the university “strengthened our rules and our approach to disciplining those who violate them” over the past 15 months as a means of addressing anti-Semitism on campus.Trump has also targeted New York’s Columbia University, initially putting $400 million of funding under review, detaining for deportation a graduate student linked to the protests, and seeking to arrest others.Columbia then announced a package of concessions to the government around defining anti-Semitism, policing protests and oversight for specific academic departments.They stopped short, however, of meeting some of the more strident demands of the Trump administration, which nonetheless welcomed the Ivy League college’s proposals.”Today’s actions by the Task Force follow a similar ongoing review of Columbia University,” said Monday’s official statement. “That review led to Columbia agreeing to comply with nine preconditions for further negotiations regarding a return of cancelled federal funds.”

Chile’s largest steel plant shut down last year, yielding to cheaper production in China. Now, six months later, the tariffs that President Donald Trump has imposed on US imports of the metal threaten the livelihood of 1.4 million workers in Latin America.As he did during his first term in office from 2017 to 2021, Trump is trying to protect American producers by making steel imports costlier with a 25 percent tariff that kicked in on March 12.The United States imports 25 million tons of steel each year, and Canada is it main supplier, followed by Brazil and Mexico, each with products tailored to other industries like car manufacturing and construction.The United States relies on Latin America for specialized steel products, said Ezequiel Tavernelli, head of the Latin American Steel Association, Alacero.With the world awash steel production overcapacity, and China the main offender, the Trump tariffs will distort the market.”The only thing they will bring is a flood of steel” that had been headed to the United States and is now rerouted to regions that are less protected and have less ability to defend themselves, like Latin America, said Tavernelli.To explain the threat he gives these figures: in 2000 China exported less than 100,000 tons of steel a year to Latin America, but today it is more than 14 million tons. The growth is exponential.Steel production in Latin America has been falling for three years. And the Chinese share of what is consumed is getting bigger and bigger .And now, due to the Trump tariffs Latin American producers will not only lose market share in the United States but also miss out in some markets of their own region due to Chinese competition.- When it rains it pours-The numbers are jarring. China accounts for more than 45 percent of the world’s steel production capacity and produces 140 million tons it does not need. It dumps this excess cheaply on the international market, says Alacero, which says China produces 23 percent of the world’s excess steel.”The main problem of our region, and that of the United States, is world steel overcapacity,” Tavernelli told AFP.And China behaves disloyally, he argued, by selling steel below cost thanks to government subsidies.In September of last year Chile endured what Tavernelli is talking about. Its Huachipato steelworks, the country’s largest, shut down its blast furnaces for good.With the smoke that drifted out of its chimneys went nearly 75 years of company history. Chinese steel was 40 percent cheaper and Huachipato simply could not compete.Alacero argues that regionalization of supply chains — for instance, US steel producers, car makers and construction companies buy Latin American steel — “is the best way to defend against disloyal business by China and countries of Southeast Asia.”As Brazil’s vice president Geraldo Alckmin, who is also the minister of development and industry, put it, the region’s goal should be to achieve “economic complementarity.” Brazil and Mexico are negotiating with the United States to try to win exemptions from the US tariffs, and managed to pull this off during Trump’s first term in power.In the same vein, Mexico’s iron and steel producers association, Canacero, said last month there is a high level of production integration between the US and Mexican steel industries and regional benefits should be the priority in the face of the threat of excess capacity of China and Southeast Asia.So there is the risk that more long-standing firms like Huachipato will have to shut down, said Tavernelli, who insisted the countries of Latin America have to work together.