Esteban Moctezuma Barragán
By Israel Molina
The COVID-19 crisis, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and global stress brought to light like never before the importance of ties, interdependence, and the need to strengthen exchanges between Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The North American region is becoming the breadbasket of the world and one of its main sources of energy.
“The whole world has many questions regarding many countries, there have even been threats of the use of tactical nuclear bombs in Ukraine, which would put the world on the brink of a much larger crisis. Therefore, as a country and as Mexicans, we must reflect on what this new geopolitical reality means,” said Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, Mexican ambassador to the United States.
He stressed that a stronger and more competitive North American region must be built. “That undoubtedly happens by focusing on the strength of our economic and commercial ties, but it is not enough, we must decide to be allies. Two years after the entry into force of the T-MEC, it is important to ask ourselves what the truths of our bilateral relationship are. One, the three countries are part of a commercial region that we can define as the most important in the world. Two, North America encompasses 500 million people and trades US$1.3 trillion. The T-MEC represents almost 30 percent of world GDP. The total trade of goods from the United States with Mexico reached more than 660,000 million dollars in 2021, which is an increase of 25 percent compared to 2020,” said Barragán.
The United States exports more to Mexico than all the countries of the European Union combined. Mexico buys 16 percent of everything the United States sells to the world. It is one of the three main trading partners of 34 states of the American Union, which is more than half of the state economies that depend on trade with Mexico. “Entire industries depend on Mexico to survive, and this was demonstrated when the border was closed due to COVID-19 and intense negotiations began so that, one after another, various products were classified as essential,” Barragán pointed out.
Aerospace manufacturing in Mexico produces everything from engines to cargo doors, fuselages, engine parts, and gear and landing gear assemblies for US and Canadian aviation companies, approximately 57,000 US companies sell to Mexico, and the average Mexican consumes US$1,800 in American products each year.
“We see the great importance that Mexico has for the United States and for the North American region. We must ask ourselves how to move forward together into the future. First is to demand to be treated as what we are: your main partners together with Canada. We are essential to maintain the standard of living of Americans, therefore, we must make explicit the terms of our relationship,” Barragán stressed.
*Published with permission from Mexico Industry, follow the link to continue reading:
