President Donald Trump’s Administration announced this Thursday, July 23, a new round of tariffs on imports from 60 countries and economies, as part of an investigation into efforts to combat forced labor.
The measure was communicated by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), led by Jamieson Greer, and will replace the temporary 10% global tariff that expires on the morning of Friday, July 24.
Among the countries included is Guatemala, whose exports will be subject to an additional 10% tariff, the same percentage that will be applied to Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador.
Latin American countries included
According to the USTR, the affected Latin American countries were distributed into two groups.
10% additional tariff
- Guatemala
- Mexico
- Honduras
- El Salvador
12.5% additional tariff
- Costa Rica
- Panama
- Dominican Republic
In addition, the United States will apply a 10% tariff to imports from the 27 economies of the European Union.
Other countries affected by the measure
The list also includes:
- India
- Japan
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Swiss
- Canada
- United Kingdom
In some cases, rates may vary depending on the country of origin and the type of imported product.
China is not on this new list because its exports are already subject to specific and higher tariffs.
What does it mean for Guatemala?
The information released by the USTR does not detail which Guatemalan products will be subject to the new tax or whether there will be exceptions related to the reciprocal trade agreement between Guatemala and the United States.
During the investigation, Guatemala submitted observations to the USTR and adopted Ministerial Agreement 377-2026, which prohibits the importation of goods produced in whole or in part through forced labor.
Likewise, the Ministry of Labor must prepare a list of companies related to these practices based on information obtained through international cooperation, since it does not have the power to carry out investigations abroad.
Why did the United States impose the new tariffs?
The decision stems from investigations launched in March by the USTR under Section 301 of US trade law.
The procedure sought to determine whether the policies of the investigated economies to prevent the importation of goods produced through forced labor harmed workers and companies in the United States.
After receiving comments from governments and sectors involved, the USTR concluded that the identified practices justified the application of the new trade measures.
The tariffs were announced hours before the expiration of the temporary 10% global tariff, in a new stage of the trade policy promoted by the Donald Trump Administration since its return to the White House in January 2025.