Investment in productive physical assets is essential for economic growth. It allows the creation of jobs, the consumption of society, the trade with the exterior of goods and services as the effect of the internationalization of the economy. It requires technological absorption to produce more and better.
In Mexico, the investment has remained at low levels. 50 years ago it represented 21% of the national GDP. That level continued to prevail for many years until in 2024 it reached 24% of GDP. From that time to today, a change in the structure of its composition occurred. Now 90% is private investment and 10% public investment.
The low level of investment of the country explains low economic growth. In the past three decades it has been between 2 and 2.5% as an annual average.
In the business sector there are now opinions such as Carlos Slim, which estimates that if the investment was 30% of GDP, the Mexican economy could grow to 6% per year.
The international experience of countries that have high economic growth is due to their growing levels of public and private investment. This is the case of China, which has invested in fixed assets 42%of its GDP, or India, with 50%, and South Korea, with 60%.
The Government of Mexico has recognized the importance of promoting investment. It has a portfolio of probable investments of 277 billion dollars in 2,000 projects. Infrastructure and energy works highlight.
These projects are in the context of industrial relocation that is being operated in the world and that consists of the departure of China from transnational companies. There is a potential of 500,000 million dollars. Of these, the United States already absorbed 200,000 million dollars through its Select USA program, and Vietnam, 80,000 million dollars.
In North America, investments and trade have the U-MEC umbrella, whose essence is not to collect tariffs. However, Trump is going to a combination of distorting decisions: tariffs, migration, security.
Before the initial decision to apply export tariffs of Mexico and Canada, a group of 47 North American legislators set out to reverse it. The president of Mexico achieved the temporary suspension of these tariffs and carry out a joint work to solve problems.
Given the danger of a commercial war, the European Commission warned: “Tariffs generate unnecessary economic disorders and cause inflation. They are harmful to all parties. ” The president of France also declared: “If they attack us in commercial terms, Europe, as a power, will have to defend themselves.”
For Mexico, its exports represent 40% of their GDP and, in 85%, are destined for the United States.
During Trump’s first government, he threatened to apply tariffs to Mexico and was the negotiation of “stay in Mexico” that stopped the protectionist intentions. Trump goes to forms that exude excess, are unilateral and antidiplomatic.
