Without economic shocks, despite the events of change of administration that will occur in our country and in the United States, the countries of North America are heading towards a new stage of integration.
This does not mean that everything is resolved or that it will be a coupling process, although our cultures have come closer in different ways, the main one being migration. This is a change of era and the societies of the three countries that share the region are also modifying many of their ideas and attitudes. That is, collective consciousness—which influences economic decisions—is being transformed in more ways than one from Canada to the border with Guatemala.
However, the incorporation of the three economies seems to be going according to plan, or almost, because in finance “nothing is until it is,” as in any aspect of human life. Therefore, this must be a period of caution and analysis about what comes next.
On the one hand, there is the impulse of “nearshoring” that could well incorporate Central America and the large economies of the south of the continent to consolidate a continental bloc that competes in the best conditions, and under the best practices, with Asia.
On the other hand, the social movements that are radicalized from the extremes of their positions and that find foundation in the incongruous arms industry that sustains wars that are in no one’s interest on the planet, in addition to the great challenge of inequality that cancels the hope for prosperity of The new generations are two enormous risk factors for this regional economic plan that so attracts markets and investors.
Only with intelligent, egalitarian societies that generate the development opportunities that their populations demand, can we anticipate a fair economic integration that reduces poverty and consolidates a welfare state. Canada faces obstacles in this sense, the United States already has them in several regions of its territory and Mexico, despite its surprising results in variables such as employment and foreign direct investment, will continue to have these elements among its priorities during the next six-year term.
The economy and authentic social progress cannot be separated. That model, sadly, is exhausted and the opportunity to correct it and replace it with one that promotes real capitalism, with open competition and deconcentrated markets, is at the door of the next decade. There is no room for “wild” capitalism, much less for “compadres” capitalism.
Antitrust legal actions are being filed promptly before courts in all three countries; at the same time that the three governments seek an administrative restructuring and a balance of powers that cannot, nor should, be postponed. Without an environment of open industries, the relocation of production chains and the most important commercial sector since the first industrial revolution would end up as a private club of large global corporations and investment funds that will continue to monopolize economic sectors that are beginning to draw their limits because Greater competitiveness is not encouraged to offer better salaries, products with a fair price-quality relationship, and the innovation essential to designing the industries and markets of the future.
If we are really thinking ahead, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, mass recycling and accessible telecommunications in every corner of the planet must advance in parallel with strong States that provide universal public education and health, decent jobs, and sufficient income for the majority to have their basic needs covered. In short, it is building a new ladder of social advancement, with just the right steps so that we do not fall into the mistakes of the past.
