The U.S. administration has announced that it has reached preliminary bilateral trade frameworks with Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Ecuador, paving the way for a partial rollback of reciprocal tariffs introduced earlier this year. The White House confirmed the development on Thursday, signaling a shift toward easing trade tensions and mitigating inflationary pressures linked to import costs.

Under the new arrangements, the United States will eliminate reciprocal tariffs on selected items that cannot be grown, mined, or produced domestically. These include major Latin American exports such as bananas, coffee, and cocoa—goods that directly impact U.S. consumer markets and inflation metrics. Officials say these tariff adjustments are expected to help bring down price increases after the U.S. Consumer Price Index rose 3 percent in September, partly due to earlier trade duties.

The agreements also outline tariff relief for textiles and apparel imported from Guatemala and El Salvador, both of which rely heavily on these industries for export revenue. In return, the two countries have pledged to deepen cooperation with Washington, broaden market access, and support U.S. strategic economic priorities.

Argentina, meanwhile, has agreed to provide preferential market access for a wide range of American products. These include pharmaceuticals, chemicals, industrial machinery, information technology equipment, medical devices, motor vehicles, and numerous agricultural goods. The White House said the expanded access will help strengthen supply chains, boost U.S. export opportunities, and enhance economic engagement with the region.

Despite the tariff reductions on select products, the United States will continue to impose baseline duties on most imports from these four nations. According to senior officials, most Argentine, Guatemalan, and Salvadoran goods will remain subject to a 10 percent tariff, while Ecuadorian imports will continue to face a 15 percent rate. These tariff levels will apply until further negotiations are complete and the broader agreements are finalized in the coming weeks.

The announcement comes as Argentina faces mounting economic challenges. The latest IMF World Economic Outlook downgraded Argentina’s 2025 GDP growth forecast to 4.5 percent, down from 5.5 percent projected earlier this year. The IMF also raised the country’s 2025 inflation estimate to 41.3 percent, predicting that consumer prices will cool to 16.4 percent in 2026.

The updated outlook aligns closely with the World Bank’s downward revision of Argentina’s growth prospects, which now project 4.6 percent GDP expansion in 2025.

The U.S. administration says the tariff adjustments—once finalized—will support bilateral trade, reduce inflationary pressure, and help stabilize key import-dependent sectors of the American economy.