Trump's tariffs: Argentina is left out of the blacklist and has "serious possibilities" of a Free Trade Agreement
The government of Donald Trump began to implement tariffs on imported products and is considering focusing on the ten countries that generate the most trade deficit. Argentina, for the moment, will not be affected by the decision and is believed to have a high chance of reaching a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
This is highlighted in a report from AmCham Argentina, the American Chamber of Commerce in Argentina, from which it is evident that the priority of the United States is focused on raising tariffs on the ten countries with which it has the largest negative bilateral balance.
According to the information published by the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, the ten largest trade deficits recorded in 2024 in billions of dollars were: China (US$ 295.4), European Union (US$ 235.6), Mexico (US$ 171.8), Vietnam (US$ 123.5), Ireland (US$ 86.7), Germany (US$ 84.8), Taiwan (US$ 73.9), Japan (US$ 68.5), South Korea (US$ 66.0), and Canada (US$ 63.3).
The American Chamber of Commerce in Argentina confirms that Argentina, Uruguay, and Ecuador have "serious possibilities of accessing a Free Trade Agreement" in the future. As a reference, the FTA that was carried out between the North American country and South Korea took eleven months, so negotiations may take time. The United States is interested in Argentina's key role in terms of minerals, citrus, and energy.
One of the tariffs that resonated a lot in Argentina and that would affect the aluminum giant, ALUAR, is the one imposed on that metal, at 25%. This rate has been suspended, at least until March 12, according to AmCham Argentina.
However, it is not expected that this specific issue will be negotiated during the trip that President Javier Milei undertook to the United States, where the president will attend the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where he will speak on Saturday and meet Donald Trump. He will also meet with Elon Musk and Kristalina Georgieva, the director of the International Monetary Fund.
According to the same report, Donald Trump's tariff policy is based on protecting national security, based on reciprocity in tariffs and focused on the trade deficit that the United States maintains with other countries.
Therefore, Donald Trump has already announced an extra tariff of 10% on products coming from China, and is considering applying tariffs on products from third countries, such as Mexico, if they contain significant components from the Asian giant or if the importing companies are of Chinese capital.
