Business
Trade war heats up: Mexico keeps calm as Canada hits back
MEXICO CITY — Mexico has avoided the worst of the Trump tariff onslaught.
At least for now.
That was the message of relief that Mexican officials were sending Thursday, a day after the Trump administration unveiled its much-anticipated “Liberation Day” tariff regimen, imposing import levies on scores of nations worldwide.
Spared in the latest round of duties were Mexico and Canada — Washington’s two largest trading partners — which are both signatories of the North American free-trade pact inked with the United States in 2020, during Trump’s initial term.
The tariff assault from Washington has chipped away at the three-nation trade deal, but much of it remains intact — with the notable exceptions of 25% tariffs that the While House has imposed on automotive imports, as well as on steel and aluminum.
“Until now, we have preferential treatment,” President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters at her morning news conference. “Of course we would like to achieve a better situation.”
Sobering news came Thursday in an announcement from automaker Stellantis, whose brands include Jeep, Citroën and Ram. The company said that it was temporarily halting production at some plants in Mexico and Canada because of the tariff uncertainty.
Still, Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico’s economic minister, said Mexico’s actions helped address complaints and concerns aired by Trump, aiding Mexico’s standing in talks with Washington. Mexico deployed troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to control immigration and beefed up efforts to counter the production and smuggling of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid, while turning over dozens of wanted drug traffickers to the United States.
Such moves, Ebrard said, had helped preserve more than 10 million jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, textile production and other sectors. Mexico’s $3-billion-a-year avocado industry has been thus far unscathed.
The 25% U.S. tariff on imported autos went into effect on Thursday, immediately prompting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to slap a 25% retaliatory levy on vehicles imported from the United States.
“We take these measures reluctantly,” Carney said. “And we take them in ways that is intended and will cause maximum impact in the United States and minimum impact in Canada.”
But Sheinbaum, who has championed a “cool headed” response to Trump’s provocations — and eschewed an “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” approach — refrained from imposing any additional duties on U.S. imports. Her subdued attitude was in character with the fine line she has walked throughout the tariff debate, trying to appease Trump without being seen as compromising Mexican sovereignty — a strategy that has generally won her praise abroad and at home.
To date, wrote columnist Mario Maldonado in the Mexican newspaper El Universal, Sheinbaum’s actions have been vindicated. “Nonetheless, this doesn’t do away with the profound blow to foreign investment following the U.S. government threats and the imminent economic slowdown — or crisis.”
Throughout the contentious tariff debate, the Mexican peso has remained relatively stable at about 20 pesos to $1, a fact that many view as a positive barometer of the government’s strategy.
“Mexico President Sheinbaum has been very smart in her negotiations, and she’s done a good job of not agitating President Trump,” said Mike O’Rourke, chief marketing strategist at Jones Trading, an investment group that analyzes global economic trends.
But, he added, the situation remains “fluid” and not predictable.
“North America could wind up in a good position here,” O’Rourke said. “But the problem is we don’t know … what’s going to be announced tomorrow or next week.”
Mexico is the United States’ largest trading partner. Last year, binational goods trade reached almost $840 billion. But the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico soared to almost $172 billion last year, a 12.7 % increase compared with 2023. Trump wants to bring down U.S. trade deficits globally.
Mexico, with its heavy dependence on cross-border trade — the U.S market accounts for more than 80% of its total exports — has long been viewed as the nation most vulnerable to Trump’s tariff agenda.
Vehicles and auto parts represent more than one-third of Mexican exports to the United States, generating about $180 billion in revenue last year. The 25% tariff will affect all such imports, though the Trump administration has said exceptions would be made for U.S.-made auto content exported back into the United States.
In ongoing talks, Mexican authorities are seeking to reduce the new tariffs on both the auto sector and steel and aluminum manufacturers — as well as head off any new duties that may be emanating from Washington.
“We have a permanent dialogue with the United States,” said Ebrard, who has been shuttling back and forth between the two nations to meet with U.S. officials. “This is just one chapter. It hasn’t ended yet.”
Staff writer Kate Linthicum and special correspondent Cecilia Sánchez Vidal contributed to this report.
The luxury shopping center in Pacific Palisades will reopen next month after more than $100 million in renovations forced by the January 2025 wildfire that devastated the Los Angeles neighborhood.
Palisades Village will reopen Aug. 15, owner Rick Caruso announced Wednesday. The outdoor center survived the blaze that destroyed homes and other businesses but needed refurbishment to eliminate contaminants that the fire could have spread.
Crews are putting finishing touches on mall buildings after tearing them down to the studs, treating the wood and rebuilding the walls, Caruso said.
“Everybody’s working, and stores are moving their products in,” he said. “It’s a really cool feeling that people have really locked arms and are working together.”
An electrician installs lighting for a restaurant at Rick Caruso’s Palisades Village on Thursday. The shopping center is scheduled to reopen mid-August.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Pacific Palisades resident Allison Polhill, who is rebuilding the home of 30 years that her family lost in the blaze, said she is “thrilled” at the prospect of returning to the mall she used to frequent. Its comeback is a boost for the community, she said.
“Every single step that we make to reopen our commercial corridors is going to bring more people back into the Palisades,” said Polhill, who expects to move back into her home at the end of August.
A total of 6,822 structures were destroyed in the Palisades fire, including more than 5,500 residences and 100 commercial businesses, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Caruso previously attributed the mall’s survival to the hard work of private firefighters and the fire-resistant materials used in the mall’s construction.
The $200-million shopping and dining center opened in 2018 with a movie theater and a roster of upmarket tenants, including Erewhon, which may be the only grocer in the heart of the fire-ravaged neighborhood when it opens.
Caruso’s company was able to fill the mall with tenants despite the long shutdown.
Palisades Village is 99% leased, with the majority of tenants returning, said Jackie Levy, chief financial and revenue officer. Nearly one-third of the shops and restaurants are new to the property.
A firefighter carries a hose back to his rig while walking through a destroyed home from the Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, 2025.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Last year, Pacific Palisades-based fashion designer Elyse Walker said she would reopen her eponymous store in Palisades Village after losing her 25-year flagship location on Antioch Street to the inferno.
Other neighborhood shops destroyed in the fire that are reopening at the mall include K Bakery and Loomey’s Toys, which caters to children up to age 12 and used to be across the street from Palisades Elementary Charter School.
“It’s been a journey and I’m excited because I wasn’t sure that there was going to be a place to come back to,” said toy store owner Amanda Rastegar. “Hopefully we can bring some of that magic back.”
Rastegar’s home in the Palisades survived but was damaged by the fire. The family returned about eight weeks ago. Her last memory of the fire was a burning supermarket.
“I just couldn’t wrap my brain around what was happening,” she said. “By the time I left, Gelson’s was on fire.”
Among the returning tenants is Angelini Ristorante & Bar. Well-known Los Angeles chef Gino Angelini said he will be in the kitchen next month for a return of the Italian restaurant.
“We won’t do a big celebrity open,” he said. “We want to have a very soft opening and see our customers come back.”
Construction takes place at Rick Caruso’s Palisades Village on Thursday. The shopping center is scheduled to reopen mid-August.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
An elaborate celebration would not feel “correct for me,” Angelini said, because the devastation has been “very sad” for so many.
Other new tenants include local chef Nancy Silverton, who has agreed to move in with a new Italian steakhouse called Spacca Tutto. Women’s activewear retailer LESET will open its first West Coast location.
Caruso said he is optimistic that customers will return to the center, even though many Pacific Palisades residents are still dispersed. One tracking system estimated that about 30% of the Village’s customer base was impacted by the fire, he said.
“That means 70% did not get impacted, so there’s a lot of customers still left out there,” Caruso said. Historically, the center drew customers from as far away as Beverly Hills and Calabasas, as well as Malibu, Brentwood and Santa Monica.
He also hopes many will be inspired to visit the revived mall.
“I believe in the goodness of people and I believe that people are going to want to support the Palisades,” he said. “They’re going to want to be there and support the businesses that have had the courage and the heart to reopen.”
Walmart is rapidly expanding its network of electric vehicle chargers designed for customers to use while they shop.
The network could help fill gaps in EV infrastructure in states with greater need for chargers. Walmart, which has more than 5,000 locations in the U.S. and hundreds in California, says more than 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of one of its stores.
The chargers also offer an incentive for customers to choose Walmart — Walmart Plus members will receive a 10% discount off an average price of $0.46 per kilowatt-hour of energy at the company’s chargers.
Walmart chargers are already available at more than 75 locations in 17 states, with Texas boasting the most charging stations, followed by Florida and Arizona.
Matthew Nelson, Walmart’s director of energy policy, said last week on LinkedIn that the network will soon reach 29 states, including California.
“We are delivering on the promise of affordable, reliable and convenient charging,” Nelson said in his post.
According to Walmart’s website, six charging stations are coming to California soon, though the company did not offer a specific timeline.
The chargers will be installed at stores in Antelope, Brea, Fresno, Stockton, Suisun City and Vallejo.
Most charging sites in California will include eight to 16 fast-charging stalls, said Walmart spokesperson Kelsey Bohl.
The company first announced plans in April 2023 to install its own EV chargers at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores, with a goal of installing thousands of chargers by 2030. Partnering with ABB E-Mobility and Alpitronic, it added 25 new charging sites this past May and six more in June.
“Walmart is building a leading retail-integrated EV fast-charging network, focused on delivering an affordable, reliable and convenient charging experience where customers already shop,” Bohl said in an emailed statement. “Customers can charge while they shop, access stations through the Walmart app they already use, and benefit from affordable pricing.”
The charging stations already available include 612 individual charging stalls using 400-kilowatt chargers. Each stall has a dual charging cord with both Combined Charging System and North American Charging Standard connectors. The standard connectors, designed by Tesla, are smaller and lighter than the combined systems.
The primary way to pay for the chargers is through the Walmart app, but the company is also experimenting with built-in credit card readers to allow those without the app to use the stations.
Customers can check charger availability on the Walmart app. The company said the chargers will be available 24 hours a day.
Robotaxis could be turning into robocops.
A self-driving Waymo reported two teens to San Mateo, Calif., police on Monday after they were found drinking alcohol and shooting toy guns in the back of the vehicle.
According to a social media post from the San Mateo Police Department, officers detained two 15-year-olds after the Waymo they were riding in contacted the department and stopped in a parking lot until law enforcement arrived.
“Parents do you know where your teens are?” the San Mateo Police Department wrote on Facebook following the incident. “Waymo does!”
Officers removed both teens from the vehicle and determined they were using toy guns to shoot Orbeez out the windows. Orbeez are small, water-absorbing beads sold at toy stores.
“Toy guns, water guns, and BB guns all pose real dangers, especially to an untrained eye,” the Police Department said. “The simple handling of them can cause fear in [passersby].” “
A video posted on Facebook shows at least five officers and a police dog responding to the scene and approaching the Waymo with their weapons raised.
Waymo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Waymo vehicles have internal cameras and microphones that may be used in an emergency or to “promote safety and security,” according to Waymo’s online support page.
The cameras are also used to ensure the vehicles are clean and to help find lost items, according to the support page.
The company said it does not use facial recognition or other biometric identification technologies to identify individuals.
“In more urgent circumstances, support may access live video during a trip,” the Waymo page said.
The San Mateo Police Department’s Facebook post has garnered nearly 60 comments, with one user accusing Waymo of “snitching.”
“At least they got a designated driver?!” one user commented.
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