Perceptions of Mexico

Oh, down in Mexico. I never really been so I don’t really know….

Actually I have been to Mexico, and loved it. But that line from the James Taylor song, “Mexico,” has been swirling around in my head, and since two stories in this issue concern Mexico and its business relations with the U.S. and other countries, I decided to take a chance and use it.

The song, and others like it, depict Mexico as a land of sunny beaches, lovely señoritas and a laid-back approach to life where time slows down to a snail’s pace. “Way down here you need a reason to move…” Taylor sings, and it sounds awfully tempting.

However, our two Mexico-oriented articles indicate that our perceptions of our southern neighbor may be about to change. In “Investments Show Confidence in Mexican Insurance Industry,” our international editor, Charles Boyle, points out that the country is undergoing political and philosophical changes that are causing upheavals in Mexico’s economic relationship with the rest of the world. Once highly protective of its financial sector, Mexico is increasingly seeing foreign investments in banking and insurance as stabilizing factors, and a number of multi-national companies have begun to take advantage of the country’s new attitude.

In developing his piece, “Before & NAFTA: Open Borders, Long Term Effects on Long-Haul Trucking,” staff writer Stewart Eisenhart found that Mexican truckers are unlikely, for a variety of reasons, to make a sudden rush to the border once the compromise date for opening the border to two-way long haul trucking business passes this spring. Likewise, U.S. companies don’t seem to be chomping at the bit to send their trucks into Mexico, for a list of equally valid but different reasons. However, observers seem to agree that eventually long-haul truck traffic between the two countries will pick up and when it does insurance carriers are likely to notice.

What does all this mean to the independent agent? It’s uncertain, but with Mexico making moves to reach out to the world economic community and with the U.S. finally making headway on allowing commercial traffic to pass through our Southern borders more freely, it does seem like changes will be in store for not only insurance but other commercial enterprises as well.

Hopefully, we can still look upon Mexico as a lovely vacation spot, and it would be a shame if the economic changes did anything but enhance the vibrant and unique culture that exists in that country. To those ends, Mexico’s move to engage more fully in the world economy must be a companion effort to one that helps provide its entire population with the opportunity to share in the advantages that come with economic stabilization. At that point, insurance and everything else really will be affected. But that’s another story.

Topics USA Trucking Mexico