Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
Businesswoman Demands Meeting with President Sheinbaum and Marcelo Ebrard
The Mexican manufacturing industry is facing an unprecedented crisis. In a viral TikTok video, a businesswoman from the textile sector denounced the severe situation that national producers are experiencing due to the increasing smuggling of Chinese goods. In a direct appeal to President Claudia Sheinbaum and Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard, the businesswoman demanded an urgent meeting to discuss the devastating impact this issue is having on thousands of workers and businesses across the country.
In her message, the businesswoman explained with concrete figures how production costs in Mexico are significantly higher than the selling prices of illegally imported products from China. For example, while a meter of domestic fabric costs approximately 90 pesos, finished pants can be found in the market for as low as 60 or 80 pesos, a price that national manufacturers simply cannot match.
In addition to the high cost of raw materials, Mexican businesses also face steep transportation expenses and security issues on the highways. Transporting a single pair of pants from Tehuacán to Puebla to Mexico City costs 2.10 pesos per unit . This is because a special truck with security escorts is necessary, as the Mexico-Puebla highway is one of the most dangerous in the country. In contrast, smuggled pants from China cost only 5.40 pesos per unit, including a 30-day sea voyage to Mexico City.
Chinese Smuggling: A Threat to Employment and the National Economy
The businesswoman highlighted that a container of smuggled Chinese merchandise can carry up to 50,000 pairs of pants for a total of 270,000 pesos. This creates unfair competition for Mexican manufacturers, who cannot lower their prices without operating at a loss. This price disparity has forced multiple workshops and factories across the country to shut down, leaving thousands of workers unemployed and weakening the local economy.
“We are losing our jobs,” the businesswoman expressed with frustration in her video, emphasizing that this problem affects not only the textile industry but the entire Mexican manufacturing sector, which is being displaced by uncontrolled smuggling.
A Call to Authorities to Save the Mexican Industry
Given this alarming situation, the businesswoman has requested a meeting with President Claudia Sheinbaum and Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard to discuss urgent solutions to protect national industry, stop smuggling, and ensure fair competition conditions for Mexican producers.
Some of the proposed measures include:
- Stronger customs enforcement to prevent the mass entry of smuggled goods.
- Lower production costs through tax incentives and government support for national manufacturing.
- Greater highway security, especially on key commercial routes like the Mexico-Puebla highway.
- Campaigns to promote the consumption of Mexican-made products, encouraging the purchase of locally manufactured clothing and goods.
Will the Government Respond to the Industry’s Call?
The video has sparked a broad debate on social media, where thousands of users have expressed their support for the businesswoman and demanded answers from the government. The question is: Will authorities take action to stop this crisis, or will smuggling continue crushing the Mexican manufacturing industry?
Meanwhile, uncertainty is growing among entrepreneurs and workers in the sector, who watch in despair as unfair competition threatens to erase Mexican manufacturing from the map.
See the TikTok video below:
