Presidential Candidates Present Logistics, Infrastructure Plans

As the Mexican elections approach, the three official candidates for the Presidency of Mexico keep advancing their campaigns as they strive to woo the general public. While candidates have presented a wide array of policies, some of them stand to directly affect the infrastructure and logistics sectors. Here is an overview of their major policies.

Claudia Sheinbaum: A Focus on the Consolidation of Existing Projects

Candidate Claudia Sheinbaum’s plan introduces  100 proposals to maintain the country's economic and social stability while transitioning toward a more sustainable and connected model. Regarding infrastructure, her proposals involve the free border zone along the 3,180km border with the United States, along with all its incentives.

She also aims to consolidate strategic projects initiated during the current administration, such as the Mayan Train, the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA). She says she plans to advance the decree to modify existing train lines to transport passengers, which stands to transform the 18,000km of railway lines that connect various cities. Sheinbaum also says that she plans to invest in the modernization of at least 3,000km of rural roads and complete projects like the Baja California-Baja California Sur highways, the coastal highway from Los Cabos to Tijuana, and the highways connecting Sinaloa-Chihuahua and Sonora-Chihuahua, among other projects.

Sheinbaum also says the plans to modernize ports, transforming Mexico into a port power with the help of private initiatives by modernizing and expanding key ports such as those in Coatzacoalcos, Salina Cruz, Puerto Chiapas, Ensenada, Guaymas, Mazatlan, Manzanillo, Lazaro Cardenas, Progreso, Seybaplaya, Veracruz, and Altamira.

To address Mexico’s limited water supply, Sheinbaum says she will lead strategic works for water supply in critical areas, including the metropolitan area of the Valley of Mexico and other regions.

Xóchitl Gálvez: Revaluations and New Investments

Candidate Xóchitl Gálvez is focusing on security, business support, and fiscal responsibility, with proposals including the creation of a binational agency with the United States to strengthen control at the Mexico-US border crossings and fight the trafficking of weapons and chemical precursors. Gálvez says that she plans to reevaluate the Texcoco airport project, which was canceled by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, or expand AIFA to accommodate the growth in passenger traffic. As the Port of Manzanillo presents congestion, Gálvez says she considers it important to explore Cuyutlan as an alternative for a new port, as it presents an attractive opportunity for private sector investment.

Gálvez adds that she plans to modernize infrastructure by prioritizing investment in new roads and border crossings, while also ensuring road maintenance works. She says that her plans include investing in STEM education to capitalize on nearshoring opportunities.

Jorge Álvarez Máynez: Demilitarization and Public Safety

Candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez has presented proposals for demilitarization and public security, although he has not fully detailed his strategies. His demilitarization strategy is expected to reduce the participation of the military in civilian tasks but a specific strategy has not been provided yet. He is also expected to prioritize public security as a catalyst for economic growth.