AMACARGA Marks 40th Anniversary at 8th National Congress

The Mexican Association of Freight Forwarders (AMACARGA) celebrated its 40th anniversary amid extensive customs digitalization, tightening tax scrutiny through the electronic Single Window, and 1,463 new tariff items with duties up to 50%. This operational shift demands that logistics providers evolve into primary data-transparency anchors to eliminate cross-border subvaluation and manage supply chain bottlenecks ahead of the USMCA review. Public and private stakeholders emphasize that navigating this highly fiscalized trade landscape depends on private initiative and technological compliance to secure Mexico's long-term industrial recovery.

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The Mexican Association of Freight Forwarders (AMACARGA) inaugurated its eighth national congress on May 28, 2026, celebrating 40 years of operation amid significant regulatory transformations, tariff adjustments, and the upcoming USMCA review. During the ceremony, public and private sector representatives stressed the importance of freight forwarding as an essential link to boost Mexico’s trade opportunities. 

The opening ceremony gathered representatives from the public and private sectors to address logistics bottlenecks, digitalization, and the evolving role of freight forwarders within international supply chains. The event highlighted a collective shift toward secure, data-driven cross-border operations. Regulatory frameworks are rapidly adapting to combat subvaluation and illicit trade, prompting closer synchronization between freight forwarders and federal agencies. Key institutional representatives underscored that achieving absolute traceability requires immediate access to highly accurate transactional data before shipments reach domestic borders.

Public officials emphasized the dual mandate of accelerating customs clearance while enforcing strict regulatory compliance. Héctor Romero, Director, National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM), outlined the ongoing modernization strategy focused on non-intrusive inspections and risk analysis. “The quality of data is a central asset, but just like quality, the timeliness with which data is obtained is crucial. A complete manifest, timely transmission, and consistent documentation will allow us to make better decisions before the merchandise arrives in Mexico,” Romero stated.

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transport (SICT) noted that efficient freight forwarding underpins domestic economic continuity and cross-border connectivity. “The efficiency of logistics, the modernization of processes, and technological integration are indispensable elements to strengthen our country's competitiveness,” noted Tania Carro, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure. 

Carro noted the importance of AMACARGA, as she noted that over the past 40 years, the association has pushed for a work model based on best-practices, constant training, innovation and inclusion. “From SICT we recognize the fundamental role you play, and we reiterate our commitment to continue promoting public policies that favor a more efficient, secure, and inclusive environment for the sector,” she said, stressing the importance of public-private collaboration in achieving shared goals. 

Navigating Tariff Pressures and the USMCA Review

Eva María Muñoz, President, AMACARGA,  addressed the acute administrative demands currently facing Mexican freight forwarders. The sector is navigating a highly fiscalized Single Window alongside 1,463 newly established tariff items carrying duties ranging from 10% to 50%. Additionally, the upcoming USMCA review will test the resilience and compliance capabilities of domestic logistics vendor networks. 

Muñoz emphasized that the modern freight forwarder has evolved far beyond a simple logistics coordinator, transforming instead into the frontline defender of supply chain transparency and customs legality. From transmitting precise data on real origins to inputting electronic value declarations, the modern agent directly safeguards importers while actively preventing fiscal subvaluation, she stressed. “We are no longer just those who coordinate; we are the primary entities responsible for the visibility of the cargo. We are the ones who supply the electronic value declaration so that there is no subvaluation,” she noted.

AMACARGA currently represents more than 420 member companies. The association noted its readiness to act as a technical partner to federal authorities, ensuring that operational errors are systematically resolved to ensure zero cargo abandonment across Mexico's ports, airports, and borders. “In AMACARGA the government has an ally. An ally that speaks very clearly: when it is time to applaud, we applaud, and when it is time to point out areas of opportunity, we do so,” Muñoz said.

The Founding Legacy

A commemorative video presentation featured a testimony by Cecilia Palazuelos, former President and daughter of AMACARGA Founder Félix Palazuelos. She detailed how geopolitical crises directly shaped the evolution of the Mexican logistics sector, charting a course from traditional custom brokers to multimodal freight forwarders. The closure of the port of Veracruz during World War II forced the family’s relocation to Mexico City, driving Palazuelos to transition his maritime heritage into the burgeoning post-war aviation cargo sector by 1966.

This structural shift eventually necessitated the split of logistics and custom functionalities from traditional airport customs broker associations, culminating in the formal birth of AMACARGA in 1986 to represent consolidators, lines, and forwarders nationwide. "Forty years ago, our founder had a futuristic vision; he united us so that Mexico could have professional freight forwarders. Forty years later, we are still here because giving up has never been an option for the freight forwarder. Today, we remain united so that we have a Mexico that can compete with the world, fully aware that we are the first link in national security," stated Cecilia Palazuelos.

Similarly, David Páramo, Journalist, reminded the assembly of the historical resilience of the logistics sector through previous political and economic cycles, highlighting that industrial recovery hinges on private sector initiative."AMACARGA was founded in the tragic Luis Echeverria’s administration. So, where we are standing right now is complicated, but when has it ever been easy? What I see is that from this point forward, an economic recovery will begin. How strong or how large it is depends greatly on the sum of individual decisions made by those in private enterprise, by you," Paramo concluded.