SD Chamber of Commerce meets with U.S. ambassador to Mexico in wake of new tariffs

The U.S. Ambassador to Mexico speaks at Monday’s meeting. (Photo courtesy of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce) In the wake of new tariffs, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce announced Monday that its senior leadership met with U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson and emphasized the importance of a stable trade relationship between Mexico and the United States. On Saturday, the Trump administration announced that a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the European Union would start Aug. 1. The chamber’s senior leadership took a photo with the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. (Photo courtesy of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce) Mexico was the top exporter to the United States in 2024, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, with goods valued at an estimated $505.9 billion. China ranked second at $438.9 billion. Kenia Zamarripa, the chamber’s vice president of international and public affairs, said in a news release that Trump’s tariff announcement “continues to raise serious concerns for San Diego’s cross-border economy.” “We urge continued dialogue and coordination between both nations to avoid disruptions and uncertainty that is harming businesses, consumers and working families on both sides of the border,” Zamarripa, who works with key government officials in Mexico and San Diego, said. “The chamber remains committed to advocating for policies that protect and grow the binational economy.” The chamber represents approximately 300,000 jobs at more than 2,000 businesses in the CaliBaja region, which encompasses Imperial County, San Diego County and six counties in northern Mexico. According to a 2022 report on the CaliBaja economy by graduate students and faculty at University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business, about $70 billion flows between Mexico and the San Diego region.