Introduction to Mexico’s Development Poles (Pidebis)
Mexico’s current administration has embarked on an industrialization strategy through the Plan México, which aims to establish 15 Polos de Desarrollo del Bienestar (Pidebis) across the nation. These development poles are intended to foster businesses with specific vocations, promoting economic growth and industrialization.
Expert’s Critique: Rogelio González Achirica
Rogelio González Achirica, president of the One Stop Group and Recintos Fiscalizados del Noreste, expressed his concerns about the Plan México’s implementation to El Economista. He described it as a noble idea lacking practical vision and real-world application to attract foreign investment.
Zonas Económicas Especiales vs. Polos de Desarrollo
González Achirica compared the Plan México to the previously established Zonas Económicas Especiales, or “export processing zones,” stating that terms like “Polos de Desarrollo” and “Plan México” are unclear to international investors.
Barriers to Investment
The expert identified several obstacles hindering investment, including insufficient resources, lack of continuity and international trade promotion experience, and inadequate infrastructure to attract industries. He pointed out that many states lack the budget for basic infrastructure, while the federal government lacks capacity to finance it.
Bureaucracy Obstructs Investments
González Achirica highlighted that many investments have stalled due to a lack of confidence and definition regarding the United States. The shifting global economic order is affecting capital flows, as the U.S. has withdrawn from leadership roles in multilateral organizations like the World Trade Organization, allowing China to take on more influence.
Domestic issues also discourage investment, such as the lengthy authorization process for maquiladora regimes (8-12 months) and subsequent SAT certification for IVA (another 8 months minimum), extending the total process to 18 months.
Irregular Practices and Information Leaks
González Achirica raised concerns about irregular practices arising from these delays, such as unauthorized intermediaries offering services during the application process. This raises questions about potential information leaks within government agencies.
Domino Effect on Economic Growth
The bureaucratic hurdles not only deter new investments but also hinder the growth of existing maquiladoras, which wish to expand. The slowdown in processes moving from Asia and the U.S. to Mexico has created a bottleneck, stalling potential development opportunities.
Urgent Need for Modernization and Coordination
González Achirica emphasized the urgent need to modernize processes and coordinate efforts among government agencies to avoid losing further economic development opportunities during a critical time for the country.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are the Development Poles (Pidebis)? The Pidebis are industrialization hubs established by Mexico’s current administration to foster businesses with specific vocations and promote economic growth.
- Who is Rogelio González Achirica? He is the president of the One Stop Group and Recintos Fiscalizados del Noreste, an expert in customs who has critiqued the implementation of Mexico’s development poles.
- What are the main challenges in implementing Plan México? Key obstacles include bureaucratic delays, lack of clear terms for foreign investors, insufficient resources, and inadequate infrastructure.
- How do global economic changes affect Mexico’s investment climate? The U.S.’s withdrawal from multilateral organizations and China’s increased influence have created uncertainty in capital flows.
- What are the consequences of lengthy authorization processes? Extended processes discourage both new and existing investments, creating a bottleneck for maquiladoras looking to expand.
- Why is modernization and coordination crucial? Modernizing processes and improving interagency collaboration are essential to capitalize on economic development opportunities during a critical period for Mexico.
