Amid tariff tensions, pressures on border infrastructure and an upcoming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , specialists agreed that Mexico faces a historic opportunity to consolidate itself as a strategic partner in North America, although they warned that the country must resolve shortcomings in infrastructure, regulation and energy to fully capitalize on nearshoring (relocation of production lines).
During the panel “ The trade relationship between the United States and Mexico in light of the USMCA review” , organized within the framework of the XVI Logistics and Transportation Seminar of Leschaco Mexicana , participants pointed out that the productive integration between Mexico, the United States and Canada has already reached a level in which the region “produces together”, especially in industries such as automotive, chemical and manufacturing.
Abel Hernández, Head of Crossborder at Leschaco Mexicana, emphasized that the USMCA has evolved from a mere trade agreement into a highly integrated production system . He noted that North America represents approximately 30% of global GDP and around 14% of world trade, and that Mexico has solidified its position as the United States’ main trading partner.
“Today we are not competing, we are producing together,” he said, noting that thousands of trucks cross the Laredo border daily, reflecting the depth of regional integration.
Deep integration, but with pending issues
Guillermo Miller, Foreign Trade Director of the National Association of the Chemical Industry (ANIQ) , emphasized that one of the greatest achievements of the treaty has been to build deeply integrated value chains , where products cross the border several times before reaching the final consumer.
In the case of the chemical industry, he explained that North America already operates practically as a domestic market. The United States accounts for approximately 68% of the sector’s imports and around 71% of Mexican exports .
However, he warned that there are still important challenges, including greater integration of the south-southeast of the country into the economic development resulting from the trilateral trade agreement, as well as increasing the regional content of Mexican exports.
He also noted that the United States and Canada have concerns about the entry of Asian products into Mexico that are subsequently incorporated into exports to North America.
For his part, Guillermo Malpica, executive director of Alianza In México , considered that the main challenge heading towards the review of the USMCA will be to preserve the trilateral nature of the agreement and avoid setbacks compared to what has already been negotiated.
He recalled that during the original negotiation of the treaty there were three fundamental principles for Mexico: maintaining trilateralism, avoiding a “lesser” agreement than the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and preserving trade preferences.
“The USMCA is not just about trade; it is a set of rules that allow the region’s economic relationship to be managed,” he stated.
He also highlighted that sectors such as automotive, agribusiness, services and cross-border trucking will be among the key topics of the review, along with emerging issues such as digitalization and artificial intelligence.
From a logistical perspective, Víctor Salazar, commercial director of Trayecto , asserted that nearshoring is already a structural trend and not just a market narrative.
He noted that Mexico has managed to consolidate important competitive advantages, such as its geographical proximity to the United States, a large land border, a skilled workforce, and increasing industrial integration.
Furthermore, he highlighted that a large part of the foreign direct investment that Mexico receives corresponds to reinvestments, which reflects the confidence of the companies established in the country.
However, he acknowledged that Mexico needs to strengthen its infrastructure, particularly in highways, border crossings and customs systems , since many of them operate close to its border.
“The growth of international trade has not been accompanied by the same growth in infrastructure,” he warned.
Infrastructure and regulation, the major bottlenecks
The panelists agreed that the main obstacles to fully leveraging nearshoring are infrastructure, regulation, and security.
Guillermo Miller emphasized that, despite the growth of Mexican foreign trade since the entry into force of NAFTA, the country has not developed sufficient infrastructure in ports, airports and railways .
He also criticized the fact that much of the customs and transport regulations continue to be based on schemes created decades ago that no longer respond to the dynamics of international trade.
Along the same lines, Guillermo Malpica emphasized the need to promote energy and digital infrastructure, as well as improve trinational coordination to streamline customs and logistics processes.
Victor Salazar added that many border crossings are already operating at their maximum capacity and that inefficiencies generate additional costs for the entire supply chain.
From Canada, Carlos Brenes, Vice President of Sales at NCC Logistics Mexico , highlighted that nearshoring is not a new phenomenon , but rather an opportunity that Mexico must take advantage of with strategic intelligence.
He emphasized that Canada has sought to diversify its trade relations through new international treaties and considered that Mexico should also look towards other markets, without depending exclusively on the United States.
Participants agreed that the USMCA has been a key driver of Mexico’s economic growth and that the upcoming review presents both risks and opportunities.
Among the recommendations for companies were strengthening regional collaboration , investing in digitalization, improving operational efficiency, and maintaining a long-term vision beyond the political situation.
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