OBELA Analysis

In October 2008, following the instability and uncertainty caused by the U.S. financial crisis, the central banks of Brazil and Argentina signed a payment agreement in local currency. This was later extended to Mercosur countries. Since then, this mechanism has been replicated and extended by the BRICS. This article will analyze the alternatives that have arisen due to the instability of the dollar and the sanctions imposed by the US on 26 countries. It is an alternative to using the dollar as a means of payment and as a reserve unit.

On 29 April 2025, the Bureau of Economic Activity published that in the first quarter of the year, the US economy contracted by 0.3% as a result of the new tariffs. On the same date, the White House decided to relax tariff measures on the auto industry. The problem is that trade flows and global auto production are not overwhelmingly American. The advantages of the T-MEC and imports from Asia, both more than three decades old, cannot be reversed in a couple of years

On 2 April 2025, President Trump announced his policy of reciprocal tariffs. The term “reciprocal” implies others have tariffs against US goods, which is mistaken and misleading. Its fiscal problem is home made. Non the less, he imposed a universal base tariff of 10%, including on products within free trade agreements (such as the one with Chile and Peru), and imposed higher rates on some countries, such as China. Although the US Government paused the entry into force of the latter for 90 days -some time in May- the region's main economies have reacted. This article will discuss the different measures taken by Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.