Juan José Sierra Álvarez, national president of the Employers’ Confederation of the Mexican Republic (Coparmex), warned about the multiple challenges facing the business sector in Mexico, including the increase in extortion, uncertainty about investment, and the recent judicial reform that proposes the popular election of judges, ministers, and magistrates.
During the swearing-in of the new board of directors of the Valladolid Business Center, headed by Jesús Miranda Rosado, the national leader emphasized the need to protect micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which are the most affected by insecurity.
In his speech, Sierra Álvarez stated that Coparmex’s mission is clear: to promote an environment where every entrepreneur has the tools to prosper, and where MSMEs can consolidate, innovate, and compete on a level playing field. Creating public policies that strengthen the productive sector, he noted, is a shared responsibility between society, government, and business leaders. “Insecurity is today one of the main obstacles to business growth. At Coparmex, we urgently need a general law against extortion, a crime that hinders economic development and puts the well-being of thousands of families at risk,” he emphasized.
Extortion, he explained, takes various forms: from phone calls, protection money, threats, and intimidation, to direct attacks that create high vulnerability among business owners. This problem, he said, must be combated with clear legislation, effective public policies, and, above all, justice.
The national leader revealed that the most recent #DataCoparmex survey, which has been conducted since 2018, confirms that one in two business partners has been the victim of a crime in the last year.
“51% of affiliated companies have suffered some type of crime; although the figure showed a slight decrease of 3.5 percentage points compared to the previous year, it is still alarming,” he noted.
Among the most frequent crimes are theft of goods in transit, vehicle theft, and cybercrime, which account for 57.8% of the total. Furthermore, more than half of the companies have had to increase their spending on security measures just to continue operating.
Sierra Álvarez also warned about the unfavorable investment environment. According to #DataCoparmex, only 38% of members consider this to be a good time to invest. This indicator registered a 12.8 percentage point drop compared to the first months of last year.
“These data correspond to a period before the so-called ‘Trump effect’ and the threat of new tariffs. The uncertainty generated by these factors could further worsen the outlook,” he warned.
Another worrying issue is the recently approved judicial reform, which contemplates the popular election of judges and magistrates.
“We cannot allow the politicization of justice. At Coparmex, we will not promote voting, but we will act as electoral observers,” he stated.
This reform, he explained, compromises impartiality and the rule of law. Therefore, Coparmex will insist on preserving judicial independence, strengthening transparency, and ensuring legal certainty.
TYT Newsroom
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