Foreign direct investment fell nearly 9%

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) reported that in 2017, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico fell by 8.8% compared to 2016, because of weaker flows in sectors such as chemistry, Beverages

At the presentation of the study "Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean 2018", the Executive Secretary of ECLAC, Alicia Bárcena , said that despite the aforementioned drop in FDI, the the auto sector, despite the situation with the United States (the country's leading provider of FDI), which can be attributed to the fact that flows have already been committed, as well as investments from Europe and Japan.

He also pointed out that Mexico was lagging behind in the electronics sector because there was no capacity in the semiconductor industry, vital components for the automotive industry. 9002] The Executive Secretary explains that the electronics industry specializes in consumer products such as televisions and that Mexico is an export leader (second in electronics, third in computer science and fifth in communications equipment) . badembly.

"This specialization does not help capacity building in a key industry for the ongoing technological revolution."

The Cepal official explained that in most cases, the transnational electronic business enterprises left Mexico from research, development, innovation and new product design.

"97 percent of the electronic components used by the industry in Mexico is imported, the structure of the imports show the lack of high-tech suppliers required by the Mexican industry," has-it- he says.

The CEPAL report points out that sectors such as renewable energy, telecommunications and car manufacturing illustrate how FDI can help diversify the productive structure, improve local capacity, create quality jobs and create links with local and regional suppliers.

In this regard, the agency highlighted the growing investments of the automotive sector in Mexico and Brazil, or manufactured goods and services for export in Central America and the Dominican Republic; However, these cases are still insufficient to achieve a productive transformation in the region.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, FDI declined for the third consecutive year, totaling $ 161.673 billion, 3.6% lower than the decline due to lower commodity prices. Export, which has significantly reduced investments in the extractive industries and the economic recession that took place in 2011. 2015 and 2016, mainly in Brazil.

APPROVES THE PROGRAMS

Among the proposals of the virtual elected president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and his team, the representative of CEPAL stresses that the pension program is feasible, since Has seen in countries like Bolivia, Chile or Argentina, he does not see why it is not possible to reach it in Mexico, since it has been explained that it will be achieved with savings and better management of current expenses. Head of Government in Mexico City

He believes that the program for young people is fundamental and more in coordination with the business world, because they will invest in it in the future, with the return to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship. l & # 39; learning.