Transportation leaders discuss impacts of proposed tariffs on Mexico and retaliatory tariffs to the U.S.

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump posted on social media threatened again to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican, Canadian, and Chinese goods.

In Mexico, these tariffs will be imposed if the country doesn't stop the flow of migrants and drugs across the U.S. southern border.

Mexican business, industry, and transportation leaders have reacted to these threats, believing they could harm the economies of both countries.

Manuel Sotelo, vice president of the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (CANACAR) in northern Mexico, told ABC-7 that all three countries must reach an agreement to prevent these tariffs from occurring.

"If you put tariffs on me, I'm going to put tariffs on you; well, that affects, it affects a negotiation between three countries that need each other to be able to compete against other economic blocks in the world," Sotelo said.

Five years ago, during the first Trump administration, the U.S. imposed a 5% tariff on Mexico, which, according to Sotelo, was very harmful not only for the economy but also for truck drivers (operators) because they spent over 30 hours per day crossing goods and merchandise into the U.S.

"What is going to happen? Well, we are all going to lose, foreign trade is going to stop. We live, we depend on the United States, just as the United States depends on the industry that is on this side of the border, on the Mexican side," Sotelo added.

He also believes Mexico must comply with Trump's mandates of stopping illegal immigration and drug trafficking, not because of his threats, but to make Mexico a better country.