Tech Fuels Progress, Crime in Mexico: The Week in Tech

This week underscored how technology is shaping both legitimate industries and illicit networks in Mexico. While PEMEX and private operators push digital twins, AI-driven modeling, and predictive analytics to boost efficiency and sustainability in the oil and gas industry, cartels are adopting advanced technologies that outpace authorities and redefine security risks. At the same time, LG’s MX$3.5 billion investment in a new Queretaro plant and Schneider Electric’s partnership with NextStream signal continued momentum in Mexico’s digital and manufacturing infrastructure.

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Technology, Innovation: Drivers of E&P Efficiency, Sustainability

Technology and innovation are playing an increasingly central role in how Mexico’s upstream oil and gas sector confronts growing cost pressures, aging assets, and higher expectations for environmental performance. As PEMEX and private operators deal with budget constraints, complex geology, and tighter regulatory demands, cutting-edge tools such as autonomous drilling, AI-driven reservoir modeling, predictive analytics, digital twins, and advanced emissions monitoring are moving from experimental or pilot phases toward becoming core elements of efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

Mexican Cartels Exploit Technology, Outpacing Authorities

Organized crime groups in Mexico have systematically integrated advanced technologies to optimize their illicit operations. According to an investigation by SILIKN, this technological adoption has generated a notable asymmetry in capabilities when compared to government institutions, redefining the landscape for national and regional security.

LG to Invest MX$3.5 Billion in New Queretaro Plant

South Korean electronics company LG announced a MX$3.5 billion (US$205 million) investment for a new plant in Queretaro to manufacture automotive cameras, LEDs, motors, and other components. The facility is expected to generate 630 jobs in its first phase, with plans to double the workforce in the near future, LG said on Monday.

Schneider, NextStream Partner to Boost Data Center Expansion

Schneider Electric, a global leader in digital energy management and automation, and NextStream, a Latin American critical digital infrastructure company, announced a strategic partnership to digitalize asset monitoring at NextStream’s data center in Ixtlahuaca, State of Mexico.

MBN Experts

Building Social Capital That Lasts

Social capital has become one of the most valuable currencies in the tech and venture capital world. However, unlike financial capital, social capital does not depreciate, and it cannot be raised overnight, says Iris Parra, Co-Founder and Director, Enlaza. Parra explains that social capital requires intentional actions, long-term consistency, and an understanding of cultural nuances across regions to consolidate.