Latin America is closely monitoring President Trump’s second term, marked by priorities that directly impact the region, including immigration, drug cartels, and the influence of China. These issues resonate due to record-high migration at the U.S.-Mexico border, increasing fentanyl-related deaths (over 70,000 last year), cartel-driven violence, and China’s growing role as a trade partner and investor. 

Once a niche topic, the Latin America-U.S.-China (LUC) relationship is set to gain mainstream policy attention under Trump 2.0. Washington will be the primary driver of this shift, with continued bipartisan support to counter China and an incoming senior foreign policy team unusually well-versed in Latin America.

While January 20th marked the official beginning of Trump’s second administration, Mexico has long been preparing for his presidency, particularly in economic matters. This challenge is not new for Mexico. In fact, the country not only survived Trump’s first term, but actually thrived.

Trump 2.0’s international trade policy is already intertwining economic, technological, and national security priorities. He wasted no time in reshaping U.S. trade and national security policy on his first day in office with several executive orders asserting his “America First” policy and laying the groundwork for more tariffs.