Claudia Sheinbaum Puts Digital Customs at Center of ANAM

President Claudia Sheinbaum announces a leadership change at ANAM, signaling that customs is becoming a core part of Mexico’s digital and fiscal strategy. As new electronic compliance requirements take effect, the government is seeking to boost revenue, tighten trade controls, and modernize border operations through stronger technology integration.

During her morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a leadership change at the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM), replacing Rafael Marín with Héctor Romero, a public official with a technology and digital transformation background. The move comes as the federal government seeks to build on stronger customs revenue collection while accelerating the digitization of border and trade processes.

According to Sheinbaum, Marín's departure was part of a prior agreement and not linked to performance or political reasons. She said that Marín will take on other responsibilities in southeastern Mexico. Romero arrives from the government’s digital transformation sphere, with experience tied to modernization efforts, policy design, and strategic sectors. The appointment signals that customs policy is no longer being framed only as a tax collection and control issue, but also as a technology agenda.

That emphasis aligns with the broader customs reform Mexico has been building since late 2025 and early 2026. New Foreign Trade Rules for 2026, published on Dec. 27, 2025, introduced stricter documentation requirements for customs brokers and established the shift toward electronic value manifests for most import declarations. Those rules took effect on Jan. 1, 2026, while the electronic value manifest requirement became enforceable on April 1, 2026.

The result is a more digitally intensive customs environment. Importers and brokers now face higher expectations around data accuracy, document traceability and electronic filing. The Feb. 23, 2026 decree updating the Regulations to the Customs Law reformed, added, and repealed multiple provisions to strengthen digital controls and consolidate customs procedures through the Customs Electronic System, MBN reports. The reform also clarified ANAM’s role and tightened the integration of customs procedures with broader foreign trade rules.

The government wants to keep lifting customs revenue while raising traceability across the import-export chain by embedding technology more deeply into filings, verification, and compliance. Sheinbaum says Romero’s priorities will be precisely to continue increasing customs revenue and deepen the digital transformation of the system. She adds that there is still room to improve collections, but stresses that the central focus will be the incorporation of new technologies into customs processes.

The revenue backdrop helps explain the urgency. ANAM data shows that Mexico’s customs revenue reached MX$1.45 trillion in 2025, up 15.5% in real terms from 2024. VAT collection rose 8.3% and IEPS jumped 53.8% over the year. December alone was particularly strong, with customs revenue reaching MX$129 billion, up 29.4% in real terms year over year. Maritime customs posts led the increase, followed by inland customs offices, while the northern border also posted gains.

Those figures strengthen the government’s case that customs can serve as both a fiscal and strategic policy lever. At a time of tighter trade enforcement, greater geopolitical friction, and more demanding compliance standards, customs agencies are no longer just processing goods; they are becoming central nodes in national revenue protection, trade security, and data governance. Mexico’s latest regulatory changes reflect that shift, placing more pressure on importers, brokers, and logistics operators to upgrade their compliance systems.

The timing is also important. The April 1 start of mandatory electronic value manifest compliance turns what had been a transition period into a hard operational requirement. Companies that still rely on fragmented paperwork or weak internal document controls could now face greater execution risk, including delays or compliance failures. For customs brokers, the 2026 rules also raised the bar on client due diligence by requiring more complete identity, address, and business-supporting documentation on file.

Taken together, the appointment at ANAM and the rollout of digital customs obligations suggest the Sheinbaum administration wants a more centralized, data-driven, and revenue-efficient customs model. The immediate test will be whether the new leadership can translate that ambition into faster processes, stronger enforcement, and fewer bottlenecks for trade. Mexico has made clear that customs modernization is no longer a side reform; it is becoming one of the main pillars of its economic governance strategy in 2026.