Spanish companies most exposed to Mexico

Spain follows closely the evolution of events after Andrés Manuel López Obrador's victory in Sunday's elections. And there are about 6,000 Hispanic businesses in sectors such as banks, energy, telecommunications, infrastructure, tourism, automotive and textile, among others, which operate in the Aztec country and many of them are also present in Chile.

Between January and April, according to data from the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (Icex), Spain exported 1,477 million euros to the region, while it imported Aztec production for 1,571 million euros. These are some of the sectors in which the presence of Spanish firms is greater:

Banks . In the financial sector, Santander, BBVA, Sabadell and Mapfre have interests in Mexico. The bank chaired by Ana Botín last year earned a profit of 710 million euros in the country, accounting for 7% of the overall profits of the entity. BBVA, on the other hand, has its major subsidiary Bancomer, an entity that earned last year 2 162 million, 40.3% of the attributable profit of the bank. Sabadell, after several previous operations, resumed its banking activities in Mexico in early 2016 and that of the private bank this year.

It has 61 offices and more than 1,000 employees in Mexico. In 2017, it gained 89 million in the country, or 6.4% of the overall profit. Mapfre, meanwhile, earned $ 26.5 million last year in his Latam Norte unit, where his Mexican unit is integrated. The result of Mapfre in Mexico was hampered last year by higher costs and the impact of some natural disasters.

Energy . The most exposed Spanish energy companies in Mexico are Repsol, Iberdrola and Naturgy (formerly Gas Natural Fenosa). In its bid for the Aztec country, Repsol has launched this year the first 10 service stations in this market, where it also has badets for hydrocarbon exploration. For Iberdrola, Mexico accounts for 2% of its gross operating income (EBITDA), while for Naturgy (Gas Natural Fenosa) it is 4%.

Infraestructuras . Morena's leader, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has generated a lot of uncertainty in the Mexican business clbad. More than for his real threats to the current status quo of the country, for the unreliability of his statements, since "one morning says one thing and the next day, he thinks differently," say Spanish businessmen present in the country. [19659003LefilconducteurdesonmessagepolitiqueaétélaluttecontrelacorruptionquiasuggéréunerévisiondespolitiquesdemarchéspublicsdanslepaysAufuretàmesuredelaprogressiondelacampagnesapositionsurcertainsprojetscléss'estmodéréeLecasleplusfrappantestceluidunouvelaéroportauMexiqueoùdessociétéscommeAccionaetFCCjouentpourplusde3000millionsd'EUR[19659003] At first, Lopez Obrador has suggested that & # 39; it would paralyze the work, but now believes that the project should go the & # 39; before, to the point of demonstrate in favor of privatization once a public consultation is conducted. "His way of being is more similar to Lula in Brazil or Bachelet in Chile than to Hugo Chavez in Venezuela or Evo Morales in Bolivia," say those who have known him since his reign in Mexico City.

Under his tenure, important work has been done, such as the extension of the subway or the second floor of the Periférico – a bypbad road that encompbades much of the valley of Mexico – with l & # 39; close collaboration of the private sector. Something similar has happened with the so-called Toluca train, a job with millions of dollars that Mexico's elected president has committed to complete in his tenure.

In this work, divided into several phases also worked Spanish companies such as CAF, Isolux and Rubau, among others. Where there are more questions, it is in the road policy and the future of motorway concessions. López Obrador was very critical of the corruption cases that hit OHL México (now of the IFM fund). One of the most thorny problems is the process of liberalization and privatization of the energy market in Mexico, which affects the giant Pemex.

López Obrador is against this new regulation promoted by Peña Nieto. In terms of energy, the Spanish infrastructure groups with the most interest in Mexico are ACS, Acciona and Abengoa, among others. Companies such as Tecnicas Reunidas, Elecnor and Duro Felguera are regular suppliers to the country's electrical authorities and giant Pemex.

Telecommunications . Also present in Mexico, Telefónica, whose president, José María Álvarez-Pallete, said yesterday in an interview with Onda Cero, that the company is accustomed to the electoral processes of different signs in the countries where they are present and respects the results. 19659003] "What we are trying to do now is to explain our case, explain the importance of a sector like ours and try to understand the importance of this technological transition as we know it as soon as they call us, we will share with them. "

Telefónica 's Mexico business turnover fell 5.4% in the first quarter, to 277 million euros, and gross operating profit (EBITDA) came in at 7.6%. is 41 million, or 28.1% less. The operator explained that, excluding regulatory changes in Mexico, billing would increase by 0.7% and EBITDA would increase by 7.6%.

Textile . Inditex landed in Mexico in 1992, opening his first Zara store in the capital. Today, it has about 400 schools spread across schools such as Zara, Bershka, Pull & Bear and Oysho. It is one of the international markets where it has grown the most in recent years.

Motor . In the case of the automotive industry, Gestamp has five production plants, while Anolin is present in nine cities nationwide.

Tourism . Mexico plays a very important role for the main Spanish hotel chains. Meliá, NH, Barceló, Iberostar, RIU concentrate their establishments in the main tourist centers: Cancún and Playa del Carmen. NH, Meliá and Iberostar each add a dozen hotels in the country. He also has interests in the country Iberia, which has flown to Mexico since 1950. It currently offers two daily flights between the Spanish capital and Mexico City, although this season offers up to three, bringing its weekly flights to 19.