A full-blown tariff war with the US could prove a gut punch for Mexico, which is already battling an economic slowdown. Latin America’s second-biggest economy depends heavily on its commercial relationship with its northern neighbor — its top trading partner by a wide margin.

Suppliers to Mexico factories worry about Trump's pending tariffs, especially on the automotive industry, at annual El Paso manufacturing trade show.

Mexico is one of the countries most vulnerable to the US president’s drive to reshore investment and close trade deficits. The country’s economy was already fragile, with the government cutting spending due to a gaping budget deficit and investors spooked by its radical judicial reforms.