Mexican businessmen have asked the presidential candidate of Morena, PVEM and PT, Claudia Sheinbaum, for efforts to unite the country in the face of the division that the electoral contest represents, if she wins the elections on June 2. The official candidate met this Monday with business chambers from Mexico, the United States and Europe, in a meeting in Mexico City in which she presented her proposal for economic growth without increasing taxes. Alejandro Malagón Barragán, president of the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin), has called to take advantage of the characteristics of Mexico in the environment of the nearshoring: strategic location, demographic dividend, strong industry, tourist attractions, and ecological and cultural diversity. “Turning these strengths into better living conditions for the population is everyone's responsibility. This demands uniting the nation, after the election, for security, equity, and prosperity. “Mexico deserves it and the people need it,” said the business leader.
Malagón, who spoke on behalf of the Business Coordinating Council (CCE), one of the most important employers' conglomerates in Mexico, said that the country must move to a logic of solving problems once a new Administration takes office. “In politics there are issues and times to compete and issues and times to build. We industrialists are ready to build in favor of Mexico, that is why, regardless of political colors, we will work with all enthusiasm with whoever receives the majority vote to head the federal government as of October 1,” he said. “With this conviction, we are also ready to overcome the inertia of assigning blame and promote the dynamic of assuming responsibility. We will do it with a social sense to be part of the solution and not part of the problem, given the imperative of continuing to combat poverty and inequality.”
Both references, that of uniting the country and that of stopping blaming, can be understood as a reference to Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose presidency ends on September 30. The president's opponents and critics have accused him of “polarizing” the country between those who are active in his cause and his detractors, as well as between rich and poor and good and bad. They have also accused him of not assuming responsibility for the balances of his government and of concentrating too much on blaming previous presidents for aggravating the problems that he has not been able to solve. Businessmen have echoed both statements today.
The president of the Mexican industrialists has said that the “historic opportunity” that the nearshoring and has asked Sheinbaum for a commitment to give certainty to investments and strengthen institutions; promote the logistics infrastructure of communications, transportation, energy and water; support small and medium-sized businesses; promote regional development, and bet on training aimed at the use of artificial intelligence, robotics and nanotechnology.
Antonio Basagoiti, president of Eurocam, the congregation of chambers of commerce and industry of Mexico and the European Union, has highlighted Mexico's attractiveness for foreign direct investment (FDI), which at the end of 2023 was 36 billion dollars, according to official figures. “The current geopolitical moment that Mexico is experiencing, the commercial openness of this country, the values of Mexican society or the quality of businessmen and collaborators, means that Mexico can receive more,” he said. “And I start from the basis that Mexico is being well seen in the world, with potential, companies are arriving, and macroeconomic data is valued, it is recognized data.” Basagoiti highlighted that successfully addressing challenges such as security and sustainable energy generation would boost foreign investment.
Carlos García, president of the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico (AmCham), which brings together 1,400 companies and employs nine million Mexicans, according to his own data, has stated that another challenge to face is the review of the terms of the USMCA. in 2026. “Today we find ourselves facing a definitive moment for the country, we are undoubtedly in a new era of North America, where the integration of the economies of Mexico and the United States can become an enabler of well-being for people,” he indicated. “It is essential that we reach this process with the task done and the agreement fully implemented. The review must be a point at which our unity as a region before the world is reaffirmed, where we ensure a shared future being the most competitive region in the world,” he added. García highlighted AmCham's announced investments of 1,000 million pesos in the states of southeastern Mexico, one of the poorest regions. “Foreign direct investment by itself is not enough, we have to know how to focus it on places and sectors where it will give greater added value to the economy and overcome inequality gaps within our society,” he said.
Sheinbaum presented his economic project to the businessmen, in which a progressive fiscal reform is ruled out and he is committed to generating savings in administrative spending, moderate indebtedness and giving full autonomy to the Bank of Mexico. He also alluded to the energy transition, the construction of roads, the recovery of passenger trains, the simplification of procedures and the construction of at least 100 industrial parks, called “development poles.” “We, without increasing taxes in real terms, are betting on two central axes that will allow us to increase revenue: one is technology, the simplification of procedures and digitalization (…) On the other hand, it has to do with customs “If we invest in equipment and modernization at customs, collection will increase,” he explained.
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