How the Mexican election could affect Arizona-Mexico trade, economy

Mexico elected its first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum. She served as Head of Government of Mexico City, a position equivalent to that of a state governor, from 2018 to 2023. She is a climate scientist and a member of the left-wing political party Morena.

Mexico is a large trading partner for Arizona. Todd Sanders, President of the Arizona Mexico Commission, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss how this could affect our economy.

“I think in the time that President AMLO’s [Andrés Manuel López Obrador] been president, he’s really shifted the focus Mexico and the politics of Mexico, sort of more populous bent,” Sanders said. “I think what you’re going to see there is a continuation of that direction, which has been pretty different. And I think investment in things that have been a little different in terms of a train system that he’s invested in, he’s stopped construction on the airport in Mexico City and has looked at other alternatives. I think what you’re going to see from her is a continuation of those policies.”

Sanders explained tourism over the last few years has been really strong in Mexico, and he doesn’t expect that to change.

“Certainly for us in Arizona, when we think about the importance of Mexico, our largest trading partner by far, about $20 billion a year, and those are 2022 numbers, those are continuing to grow,” Sanders said. “By the way, in that time since COVID, as companies have nearshored, we’re seeing the U.S. numbers go up. Mexico is now the largest trading company for our country as well.”