In July 2026, the Trump Administration imposed a 12.5 percent tariff on certain imports from Chile, based on claims that the Chilean government failed to ensure fair trade wages and allowed the export of produce and products allegedly made with forced or near-slave labor.

The tariff contravenes the Chile-US Free Trade Agreement, which specifies zero tariffs on all trade goods between the two countries.

The tariff affects several of Chile’s principal exports to the United States: farmed salmon, fruits and berries, wines, meats and high-value-added wood products. It thus raises US consumer costs for these products – and harms Chilean workers by reducing demand for and exports of these products.

Copper and lithium were exempted – probably because these metals are essential in “renewable” electricity generation and storage; “green” energy advocates oppose most mining for these and other vital metals and minerals in the USA; and America has been too reliant for too long on China and other adversarial nations for these and other strategic materials.

President Trump should reverse this misguided tariff.

The tariffs were promoted by two leftist/progressive Chilean NGOs (Fundación Libera and Centro Ecocéanos), which told the US Trade Representative Office the Chilean government tolerates and even facilitates “forced labor” (subpar or unfair wages), substandard workplace safety standards, and inadequate prosecution of violations in the agricultural and salmon farming sectors.

Chile ranks fourth in South America in labor costs and first in minimum wage. Its agricultural, fish farming, mining, manufacturing and other labor sectors are heavily regulated. They offer health, pension and other benefits in addition to wages, largely due to expanded programs implemented by the Michelle Bachelet, Sebastián Piñera and Gabriel Boric governments (2006-2025).

The cost of labor has risen with these reforms, though—as in the USA) not equally or “equitably” across all employment sectors, geographic regions or company sizes.........

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