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On the trade war front line, bosses ask: how bad will tariffs get?

Mexico and Canada are the focus of President Trump’s threats. But amid market fallout and dire warnings, some believe global trade will shrug off protectionism

Illustration of a woman sitting on a structure made of shipping containers.
Claudia Sheinbaum’s Mexican government must work out how to piece together its response to import tariffs
ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES COWEN
Oliver GillJill Treanor
The Sunday Times

Some 130 miles northwest of Mexico City, the state of Querétaro has a reputation for being one of the country’s safest places. Legend has it that this is because it is where the families of some of Mexico’s most infamous drug lords reside. “But that’s what people always say about the safe parts of Mexico,” quipped one local.

Agriculture has historically been the driving force behind Querétaro’s economy, with the largely arid landscape punctuated by green fields here and there. Maize was the staple crop in this part of the world, but farmers are now turning their hand to wine making.

The vineyards are a sign that the region is gentrifying in response to white-collar workers being drawn to an area that now boasts flourishing

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