Tarifs: l'ambassadeur américain s'en prend aux critiques des ministres et prévient qu'" il n'y aura pas d'accord " si des personnes qui ne sont pas en négociations parlent

The U.S. ambassador to Chile, Brandon Judd, has sharply criticized Chile’s ministers for their public criticism of Washington’s decision to impose 12.5 percent tariffs on Chilean goods under the pretext of concerns over forced labor in imported products. In a pointed statement, Judd warned that such comments, made by officials not directly involved in ongoing trade negotiations, will hinder progress toward a deal that could exempt key Chilean exports, including fresh fruit, salmon, wine, and timber, from these tariffs. Judd made his remarks during a press briefing following his participation in the U.S. Southern Command's International Forum on Organized Crime. He expressed frustration with statements from Chilean ministers who have publicly questioned the legitimacy of the U.S. action. On Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Jaime Campos called the move “arbitrary” and claimed it violates the Chile-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Defense Minister Fernando Barros echoed similar criticisms, adding a personal jab at Judd, accusing him of applying a form of punishment for alleged tolerance of forced labor, which he described as “unjust.” Judd escalated his response, stating that such public commentary from non-negotiators undermines efforts to reach a resolution. “There will be no agreement if there are people speaking about these negotiations who aren’t part of them,” he said. He emphasized that the ongoing talks aim to address the issue of forced labor in supply chains, not within Chile itself. “When this happens, it makes it very difficult for our negotiators in the United States to believe that anything meaningful is happening here,” Judd added. Earlier in the week, Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna attempted to temper tensions, stressing that the government’s ultimate goal is to reach a compromise with the U.S. “What matters is understanding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is conducting the negotiations,” Pérez told T13 Radio. The minister also reiterated that the focus should remain on achieving a mutually beneficial outcome rather than allowing public disputes to derail the process. In another exchange, Judd clarified that the U.S. is not targeting forced labor within Chile but rather addressing instances where foreign-made goods are produced using such practices. “That’s not what we’re talking about. I’m not referring to forced labor in Chile. We’re discussing products imported into Chile that are made through forced labor outside the country,” he explained. Judd argued that such conditions create unfair competition and violate the FTA’s principles. He also noted that the FTA includes provisions allowing for the imposition of tariffs if certain criteria related to labor standards are not met. “So again, I don’t think those ministers have actually read the Free Trade Agreement. It would be helpful if they were better informed about what the agreement truly entails,” Judd said. Despite his sharp critique of the ministers, he praised the work of Paula Estévez, head of the Chilean National Service for Economic Research (Subrei), calling her a “very good negotiator.” “Let her do her job,” he concluded.