With the aim of emphasizing the importance of the Mexican automotive industry, both heavy and light vehicles, and to share proposals for the generation of public policies benefiting the productive sectors, the leading associations of the national industry presented the document “Dialogue with the Automotive Industry 2024: Driving Towards a Sustainable Future” to the presidential candidates.
During the official presentation of the document, Guillermo Rosales, Executive President of the Mexican Association of Automotive Dealers (AMDA), highlighted the importance of working together with the next President of the Republic from the moment the government transition begins. He assured that the industry remains committed to continuing to invest in the country.
Odracir Barquera, General Director of the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA), emphasized that the next head of state will face events that could transform the country’s direction.
“They will oversee the final stage of the great opportunity for the relocation of global value chains and ensure that Mexico capitalizes on it successfully. They will also review the USMCA in 2026 and ensure that its conditions and advantages are maintained or even improved, in addition to completing the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development goals and securing the best possible outcomes,” stated Barquera.
He detailed that the next president will be responsible for driving Mexico in the global race towards new technologies. In this regard, he affirmed that electromobility represents the most significant real opportunity for attracting investment in the coming decades in Mexico, beyond the temporary phenomenon of relocation.
Virginia Olalde Lopez-Gavito, Director of Foreign Trade and Economic Studies of the National Association of Bus, Truck, and Tractor Producers (ANPACT), stated that the proposals, strategies, and priority issues presented by the automotive sector to the presidential candidates are essential for maintaining Mexico’s global leadership in the production and export of buses, trucks, and tractors, while also boosting the domestic market.
“The document highlights the high integration of the automotive industry in the North American region, based on the USMCA, a legal instrument that guarantees regulatory certainty. North America is one of the key pillars for the automotive industry. ‘Made in North America’ means competitiveness, economic integration, technology, quality, and development, where Mexico plays a leading role. Therefore, for the heavy vehicle industry, it is important to maintain and enhance current trade agreements such as the USMCA, the Pacific Alliance, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), among others,” detailed the ANPACT representative.
Olalde Lopez-Gavito emphasized that addressing public security is crucial since strengthening this area will enhance opportunities for Mexico, in light of growth related to nearshoring.
Armando Cortés, General Director of the National Auto Parts Industry (INA), stated that the sector he represents is committed to the environment, technology, and electromobility. Consequently, INA will promote high-tech components such as batteries and semiconductors during the next six-year term.
“The foundations have already been laid, and we believe that the next administration will be very interested in continuing to promote these issues for the benefit of Mexicans. With this document, we request closer collaboration between the private sector and the government, from a regional perspective involving auto parts companies on both sides of the border. It is important to maintain a permanent dialogue with the United States,” affirmed the INA representative.
Finally, Guillermo Rosales emphasized that the automotive sector is key to the country’s economic and social development, also highlighting Mexico’s strategic global position in the industry. “We can have a better future only through dialogue and effective collaboration between the industry, society, and the government, with which we seek to restore constructive dialogue,” he assured.
Rosales pointed out that there is a significant challenge to meet the potential demand of the automotive market in Mexico. He also highlighted that the sector faces one of the highest regulatory burdens and that each year it responds to an increasing bureaucratic load and regulatory compliance, making it vulnerable to acts of corruption.
“It is imperative to establish an administrative revolution… for example, the reconstruction of a national vehicle control system to replace the inoperative Public Vehicle Registry (Repuve),” clarified the AMDA representative.
Another example is adjusting the money laundering prevention system that puts automotive dealers’ businesses at risk. Rosales also stated that it is urgent to update the tax framework so that the sale of new vehicles is no longer seen by governments as a revenue generator but as an opportunity for renewal, favoring cleaner vehicles for the decarbonization of mobility.