Vice President and Minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC), Geraldo Alckmin, leads an official two-day mission to Mexico City. The meetings start today in the Mexican capital.
Alckmin’s trip to the North American country is part of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government strategy of seeking new markets that can replace the United States as a destination for Brazilian products affected by the tariff of US President Donald Trump.
The highlight of the visit will be a meeting with Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday at the National Palace. The Brazilian entourage will also have meetings with Mexican authorities and entrepreneurs.
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On the trip to Mexico, Alckmin will be accompanied by the Ministers of Planning and Agriculture, Simone Tebet and Carlos Fávaro. It will also be part of the entourage representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health and the National Confederation of Industry (CNI).
Without USA, focus on neighbors
Neighbors from the US, Mexico and Canada have gained absolute priority from the Lula administration, since part of Brazilian exports has been overcharged by 50%. Industrialized products, agribusiness and health could benefit from business increase. Both countries have sales to the US market at a rate of 25%.
Last Monday, the Brazilian government reported that Mercosur and Canada will resume negotiations for a free trade agreement, stops since 2021. On the day of the announcement, the Canadian Minister of International Trade, Manander Sidhu was in Brasilia.
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According to the vice president, the agenda in the Mexican capital aims to strengthen political relations and the expansion of commercial ties and investments between the two largest economies in Latin America. The meeting reinforces the high level dialogue between the two governments and the strategic partnership in the region.
“Mexico is an important partner for Brazil. This visit is a strategic opportunity to deepen our political dialogue and, especially, to open new trade and investment fronts that will generate prosperity to our peoples,” said Alckmin.
In 2024, the commerce current (sum of imports with imports) between Brazil and Mexico totaled US $ 13.6 billion. From January to July this year, a favorable surplus was registered with the Brazilian side of US $ 866.1 million, according to data collected by the MDIC.
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The agenda
The programming of the official entourage begins on the morning of Wednesday, in a meeting with executives representing 12 Brazilian companies. Then, a meeting with the president of the Mexican Senate Foreign Relations Commission, Alejandro Murat Hinojosa, is foreseen.
In the afternoon, there will be three followed meetings with Mexican ministers: Secretaries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Julio Berdegué Sacristán; of Foreign Relations, Juan Ramón de la Fuente; and economics, Marcelo Ebrard. The closing of the first day of the mission will be at a Brazil-Mexico business meeting.
On Thursday, Alckmin will meet with Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum. Topics of interest will be discussed between the two countries, such as commercial negotiations, food safety and energy transition. After the hearing, there will be a conversation with Health Secretary David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz.
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In the afternoon, meetings with Mexican entrepreneurs are planned, among other commitments.
