The review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , nearshoring (relocation of production lines), and the integration of supply chains place trucking and customs at the center of North American competitiveness; however, to take advantage of this scenario, Mexico must resolve challenges in infrastructure, security, digitalization, and trade facilitation.
During the Mexico’s Nearshoring & Logistics Auto Industry Summit, Manuel Sotelo Suárez, deputy secretary general of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) , highlighted that road transport not only moves goods, but also sustains the operation of manufacturing plants, investments and jobs .
In that context, he said that reliability in logistics chains will be one of the main factors for Mexico to continue attracting nearshoring -related projects .
In a context where around 80% of trade between Mexico, the United States and Canada moves by land transport , and 73.6% of the value of trade between Mexico and the United States crosses by road , road transport has become an essential component for the automotive industry.
However, Sotelo warned that the nearshoring opportunity can only be consolidated if the country improves its road infrastructure, security, operator training, process digitization, and greater coordination between authorities, customs, companies, and carriers.
“It’s not about relaxing controls, but about making them smarter, more coordinated, and supported by technology. We don’t need more friction. This efficiency is primarily linked to digitalization. Digitalization will be one of the most important changes in transportation and customs. Artificial intelligence will help to plan routes and anticipate risks,” he pointed out.
He believed that the movement of goods at the border must evolve from bottlenecks to competitiveness platforms through intelligent and technology-supported processes.
“ The border should be a competitive advantage . Greater efficiency means less downtime, which gives us lower costs, greater peace of mind, fewer emissions, and more confidence to invest,” he explained.
Among the priorities for 2035, Sotelo highlighted strategic corridors, greater exchange of information between the private sector and the authorities, as well as strengthening logistical security to lower costs and improve the reliability of supply chains.
For his part, Fernando Ramos, founder and president of the Latin American Confederation of Customs Agents (CLAA) , emphasized that Mexican customs is facing a transformation that goes beyond tax collection. From his perspective, it must fulfill the functions of collecting, controlling, and facilitating foreign trade, without limiting the country’s competitiveness .
“Tax revenue is important in a country like Mexico, but so is growth. If customs doesn’t facilitate trade, the country doesn’t grow. When there are frictions at customs, when there are problems of interpretation between importers and the customs authority or between us customs agents and customs brokers, that problem becomes logistical chaos and a reputational problem,” he explained.
The specialist explained that the coexistence of different authorities and the fragmentation of functions create operational challenges that affect the efficiency of goods dispatch.
“Today we have a serious problem, because although the ANAM (National Customs Agency of Mexico) was created , the SAT (Tax Administration Service) has not stopped participating; on the contrary, with the reform that came into effect on January 1 (2026), the SAT now has even stronger power. But there are the military and civilians, and now there is a third participant, the famous Digital Transformation and Technology Agency, and the confrontation between these three agencies; the challenge is how to govern in the best way, because what we have today is fragmentation ,” he explained.
Ramos emphasized that digital transformation is essential to boosting the competitiveness of foreign trade, but cautioned that technology alone will not solve the problems without institutional coordination and clear rules for importers, customs brokers, and authorities. He also noted that delays at border crossings and ports generate additional costs that directly impact supply chains in sectors such as automotive.
Regarding the review of the USMCA, he maintained that the treaty should promote performance standards for customs, prioritizing speed, transparency, predictability, and trade facilitation . In his view, regional competitiveness will depend on customs processes allowing for the timely flow of inputs and goods.
It’s worth noting that on July 1st, the United States decided not to extend the treaty in its current form for an additional 16 years. The agreement remains in effect until 2036, but under a system of annual reviews that prevents planning long-term investments under stable rules.
The panel explained that transportation efficiency, digitalization, security, and trade facilitation are all part of the same equation for maintaining North American productive integration and taking advantage of the opportunities arising from nearshoring and the USMCA.
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