Mexico to impose higher import duties on Brazilian steel products

The Mexican Senate has approved legislation that will increase import tariffs on 232 Brazilian products effective January 1, 2026.

The revised tariff rates will range from 20 to 35 percent, affecting industries such as auto parts, textiles, home appliances and steel products, according to Brazilian press reports. These new tariffs will also apply to imports from China and nine other countries.  Although the specific categories of steel products affected by the bill have not been clearly defined, an analysis of export volumes from Brazil to Mexico between January and November 2025 shows that semi-finished products such as slabs and billets are likely to be among the main targets due to significant volumes.  During this period, Brazil exported to Mexico received a total of 438,541 tons of steel products valued at US$239 million. Of this, 421,691 tons, or 96 percent, worth $219 million, were semi-finished products. The remaining 16,850 tons, valued at $20 million, mainly included rolled reinforced concrete and reinforcement.