As key trade talks start, the US-Mexico relationship will likely limp along – but at a cost

A review of the 2020 deal underpinning the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship will likely be hamstrung by President Donald Trump’s trade-deficit fixation and aggressive use of tariffs. AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Most Americans understand that their avocado toast and Super Bowl guacamole depend on a green fruit imported from Mexico. But few realize that Mexico is the United States’ top trading partner, both as the largest source of U.S. imports and the largest market for its exports.

Mexico supplies everything from fruits and vegetables to computers, medical equipment and electrical machinery – not to mention vehicles and auto parts. Mexico is also the top consumer of U.S. exports, ranging from corn, pork and dairy products to natural gas, to auto parts.