UN ECLAC urges Latin America to diversify markets amid U.S. tariffs

The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) recently urged Latin American countries to diversify their import and export markets in light of rising U.S. tariffs. Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar called for deeper intra-regional integration and expansion of trade ties with Asia and Africa rather than over-reliance on any single external market. 

According to Salazar, the region should not only replace imports but broaden trade networks, citing the Mercosur–EU trade agreement as a case in point. He also emphasized demographic shifts—aging populations and falling fertility—that will require up to 4.7% of GDP to be invested in elder-care infrastructure by 2035, indicating major health-care market opportunities. 

For the medical-device sector, this message underscores the strategic importance of diversified supply chains, regulatory harmonization and multiple market-entry paths—not simply dependence on the U.S. market. This regional policy stance could stimulate collaborative regulatory frameworks, cross-border marketing and distribution channels within Latin America.

Sources:

• “UN Commission urges Latin America to diversify markets to confront Trump’s tariffs.” Reuters, Aug 15 2025. Link