Comments on: In the wake of Trump’s tariff chaos, Mexico’s economy needs a rethink: A perspective from our CEO, Part 2

By: smalley57@mac.com

smalley57@mac.com — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 22:37:23 +0000

In reply to Norse Hombre.

I don’t think Trump is getting high marks for his immigration policy right now. Disappearing people who are legally in the US to El Salvador and taking legal residents and holding them in detention centers for any number of days is not earning high marks.

By: smalley57@mac.com

smalley57@mac.com — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 22:30:25 +0000

In reply to Cuddles.

I agree that why should it always be that they are serving foreigners. Why not invest in Mexico’s people with higher education standards and encourage people to go into the sciences and technology. You see China right now putting an emphasis on their people excelling in these fields. Manufacturing will still exist but as the US wants to incorporate more AI and robotics so should Mexico. But this will take an investment in the people and most importantly students. Now many Mexican children don’t have the means for higher education. They are needed at home, to help families, to work farms and manufacturing plants so that the goods can be sold to the US. I’m not sure expanding in the areas that take care of the US citizens is the right path for Mexico.

By: Jaime Jose

Jaime Jose — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 21:55:35 +0000

In reply to Carl Sonntag.

Fantastic idea, one that will result in years added on to the average life expectancy of Mexican elders.

By: Julie K Danielson

Julie K Danielson — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:24:01 +0000

Amen Carl Sonntag!

By: Jaime Jose

Jaime Jose — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 05:51:10 +0000

In reply to Bill Dean.

Bill , your response gets closer to the dilemma of the industrial revolution, computerization, industrialization, AI, robots, and the demand of the environment for lower consumption if we want to live/survive. Most of the responses take one eyes off the ball as to the central problem.

Here in one sentence is the central problem. “What does the world do, when 70% of its available labor force can produce 100% of the products and services that 100% of the world population needs?” That 70% with AI and robots will lower itself to 60% and then 50%. The world population will go up. If the world continues to imitate American consumption habits, it will self-destruct any environment in which to survive. the world unemployment rate will drastically increase. Will we just have national incomes from governments for not working? Will we put more people in prisons? will it decrease full employment to 20 hours per week? One obvious conclusion is that we need fewer workers to make goods and service while getting enough income into the hands of the whole population of consumers. We will have a consumer economy without workers. It’s already here in the USA. and other countries of the world.

By: Carl Sonntag

Carl Sonntag — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 18:32:51 +0000

Given that Trump, Musk and JFK, Jr are dismembering the US health and medical research system Mexico should offer the scientists from CDC and NIH who were fired or who resigned the opportunity to make Mexico a world-class medical research and development center, updated and cutting edge. The many scientists, lab workers and administrative staff would find a warm welcome here and be able to carry on their very important work in a mostly stress-free environment. This could be funded through a partnership between the government and private enterprise and would also serve to advance and give impetus to much-needed improvements in the Mexican health and education systems as well as being a training ground and employment generator for Mexican scientists.

By: Geoffrey Drayton

Geoffrey Drayton — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 04:37:04 +0000

In reply to Blue Blueitt.

Vamos

By: Geoffrey Drayton

Geoffrey Drayton — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 04:36:45 +0000

All of these jobs still require one thing that the workforce is literate and can read to learn in order to develop their critical thinking skills. Mexico is perfectly capable of leaping ahead with AI, Robotics, 3D printing and advanced manufacturing techniques. However if you can’t read… and 50% of students can not read at the lowest level of proficiency according to the 2022 PISA scores.
They are as follows:
Tourism
Health care delivery
Senior care
Housing/living for expats
Food
Wellness
Infrastructure to support all of the above

Thank you Travis, very well structured piece

By: Norse Hombre

Norse Hombre — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 04:08:34 +0000

Part 2 was even better than part 1. Thank you for your perspective Mr Bembenek. I think your list is well thought out. However, I do think you need to add SAFETY, the elimination of the cartels, or at least the relentless pursuit of eliminating them to your list. There will be no access to the American market without such a commitment. I believe Trump is allowing Ms Sheinbaum to feel like she has been negotiating. Stringing her along while his main objective is to get approval (or possibly not) to allow the US military to go after the cartels. She, and Mexico, have the most to lose. Regardless, what people think, and for lack of better terminology, Mexico needs, and is at the mercy of, the US. Mexico also has no defense if the US/Trump decide to do it unilaterally. Sovereignty be damned. It’s a great ideal, but unless you can defend and protect your sovereignty, it’s just a word. Time will tell but he sprung the tomato tariff on her unexpectedly and hasn’t flipped on that… yet.
I have one other point to add, but I assume that you will cover it under “infrastructure”, and that is water. Without water, there is no need to plan for any future. I know the subject has been discussed at length here on MND and elsewhere, but a society cannot survive if there is no water.
To that point, Ms Sheinbaum has announced a plan (one of her many) but all plans require funding to become reality. I don’t see any way that she can both achieve all that she has planned, AND pivot to respond to the changing economic situation Mexico is facing. As anyone who is used to visiting/living in Mexico, it’s getting hotter. I spent October through December in PV (a family matter forced me to return to the US early) but it felt like it was the hottest it’s ever been during my winter stay. Conversely, being in the upper Midwest of the US, it was one of the warmest winters on record and we had so little snow it almost beat the record. I don’t think this warming trend is going away.
I’m enjoying this series and look forward to your final article on the subject.

By: Norse Hombre

Norse Hombre — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 03:22:28 +0000

In reply to jim.

I couldn’t agree more. The cartels are the first thing Mexico needs to take care of. Nothing will advance Mexico without that being taken care of. The one thing Trump still gets high approval ratings for are the way he is fighting crime and his immigration policies. If Mexico wants any partnership with the US, this is a non-negotiable.