“With Mexico in particular we are celebrating 25 years of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that has greatly facilitated all the exports and bilateral trade with very interesting figures, so there are many foundations to be able to be here in Mexico,” said Lorena Sepúlveda, national director of ProChile.
Before the inauguration of the Latam Mexico 2024 Meeting, one of the most prominent events in Latin America in the business, technological and cultural fields, the board highlighted that these meetings aim to strengthen trade and offer new opportunities.
“We are also trying to be a little more innovative and get away from the traditional in terms of food, which normally here in Mexico we are known very strongly for wine, fruit, even seafood, but there is also another offer what we are showing and what it has to do with technology with innovation“, explained Marcelo Sobarzo, commercial attaché of ProChile in Mexico.
The event, organized by ProChile, an entity of the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was held in Guadalajara and Mexico City. Its purpose was consolidate trade ties between both countries and other areas of Latin America.
“We are looking to broaden this view of Chile. There is a much more complementary offer that also has to do with showing everything that has to do with food and food innovation,” said Sobarzo.
The event had the in-person participation of more than 75 exporters and 110 importers coming from six Mexican states, as well as Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic.
“We hope that with this event that we are holding here in Mexico, they will turn a little more towards Latin America. Currently, their trade is almost 85% with the T-MEC (Mexico, United States and Canada Treaty) and obviously we want to change that, for them to diversify and look at Chile as an important strategic partner,” said Sobarzo.
For his part, Sepúlveda highlighted Chile’s opportunities in Mexico. “Chile has an offer in the video game audiovisual animation. As a result of all the fairs that are held in this creative economy sector, it also has a very important presence here,” he indicated.
The event also featured the participation of the Undersecretary of International Economic Relations of Chile, Claudia Sanhueza; the Ambassador of Chile in Mexico, Beatriz Sánchez; and the Mexican Foreign Minister, Alicia Bárcena.
“With this modernization of the Treaty we will have a very important opportunity to revive the business communities and industries of the future,” said Bárcena.
After 25 years of the implementation of the FTA between both countries, the commercial exchange reached 3.435 billion dollars in 2023, with an average annual growth of 3.9%, according to the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Chilean exports to Mexico increased from 500 million dollars in 1998 to 1,751 million in 2023, while the Imports from Mexico to Chile They grew from 847 million in 1998 to 1,684 million in 2023.
In 2023, Mexico became the main destination of Chilean exports of mineral fertilizers, canned peaches, multi-layer cardboard, wood particle boards, gouda cheese, fresh garlic and detonating capsules for mining, among other products.
