MONTERREY, NL – Boy Scouts always have to be prepared, the same thing happens in logistics, you always have to be aware of all possible scenarios to be prepared , said David Eaton , vice president of the Northeast Division of the American Chamber Mexico .
Speaking at the Redwood Customer Advisory Board 2025 , David Eaton provided insight into the evolution of North American commerce , current challenges, and opportunities for regional growth.
He said that when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) came into effect in 1994 , it coincided with key and turbulent moments in Mexico’s recent history.
Eaton emphasized that the integration of Canada, the United States, and Mexico is driven not only by economic reasons but also by geographic, demographic, and political ones.
“The future of North America is strong: natural resources in Canada, manufacturing and young talent in Mexico, and a strong consumer base in the United States,” he said.
However, he warned about the revision of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) scheduled for 2026, as ” it shouldn’t be a renegotiation, but it will be, ” he warned, alluding to the possible reelection of Donald Trump.
In this context, he called for the protection of the treaty, as it guarantees a legal framework for dispute resolution and creates certainty for foreign investment.
He was also critical of Mexico’s domestic conditions, noting that the country needs to implement a “self-help” strategy, reform its judicial system, invest in infrastructure, and resolve the energy crisis.
“Mexico must do better. We have lost investments due to a lack of electrical capacity,” he asserted.
Eaton shared examples of how companies can innovate even in the face of obstacles .
For example, from his position at Canadian Pacific Kansas City , he mentioned the development of new rail routes connecting Mexico to Canada, transporting everything from industrial products to snacks to Canadian supermarkets.
Regarding the region’s ability to handle the nearshoring boom , Eaton emphasized that while private rail investment has been key, Mexico needs to improve its roads, ports, and digital connectivity, as well as revitalize public-private partnerships.
“Public investment is essential. Private investment shouldn’t be a dirty word. We need the government and the private sector to work together, each from their respective positions, to build a superhighway of opportunity, shoemaker to your shoes,” he said.
On the other hand, Eaton was emphatic that without security there will be no growth and suggested that international pressure, especially from the United States, could give President Claudia Sheinbaum the opportunity to distance herself from the current government’s policies and return to a path of competitiveness.
“Globalization no longer means looking far, it means looking close. Regionalization is our present and our future. Personally, I believe there is a positive scenario for North America. One in which we move toward a kind of ‘Fortress America,’ where we recognize that Canada is not the 51st state, and that Mexico is not just the far south, but an essential part of an integrated region,” Eaton asserted.
Comment and follow us on X: @jenna_GH_/ @GrupoT21
