Claudia Sheinbaum calls for greater access to credit for the people

Recognizing that there is a "problem" in access to credit for Mexicans, President Claudia Sheinbaum asked those present at the 88th Banking Convention to look at this issue , saying it could lead to greater growth and "fundamentally, well-being."

During the inauguration in Nuevo Nayarit, Sheinbaum Pardo also said that "we should feel satisfied" with the situation our country is experiencing, given the various threats made by US President Donald Trump, such as tariffs.

"We should all feel very satisfied with our country's economic strength, and at the same time, optimistic because, given the international situation we have experienced in recent months, the Mexican economy and the financial sector have reacted in an extraordinary way," he told the bankers.

Speaking to representatives of banking institutions and business leaders, the head of the federal executive branch affirmed that Mexico's financial system is sound and said there is a "problem" in access to credit.

“We do have a problem, and that is access to credit for Mexicans. If we compare ourselves with Japan, the United States, Korea, France, or Chile, which have a similar economy, or with Brazil, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Peru, or Colombia, access to credit for Mexicans only reaches 33 percent .”

"And one goal of the government and the banking sector must be greater access to credit, if we want not only growth, but fundamentally well-being for Mexicans," he said. President Claudia Sheinbaum signed an agreement with bankers to boost financing for small and medium-sized enterprises. Secretary of Finance Édgar Amador Zamora highlighted the agreement between the Mexican Banking Association (AMB) and the Mexican government to increase financing for SMEs by 3.5% annually between 2025 and 2030.

At the event, the federal president took the opportunity to highlight Plan Mexico, her security strategy, and the decline in intentional homicides in the country, as well as the welfare centers and welfare programs, a "historic decline" in poverty, and investor confidence.

The Mexican Banking Association and the government signed an agreement to boost financing for the country's micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises ( MSMEs ).

The agreement includes seven key enablers to expand credit to MSMEs, including financial education, digitalization, regulatory simplification, and strengthening of commercial courts.

Among the goals set for 2030 are increasing the number of MSMEs with bank credit by 3.5% annually and achieving a minimum coverage of 30% of these companies with access to financing.

These actions seek to reduce the structural barriers these companies face, such as high levels of informality and low financial literacy, factors that limit their access to credit.

In Mexico, 99.2% of businesses are in the SME segment, which is positive, but requires greater efforts to promote them, said Altagracia Gómez, coordinator of the Business Advisory Council of the Government of Mexico.

"The banks aren't doing enough, the government isn't doing enough, and the companies that interact with MSMEs aren't doing enough. Plan Mexico's invitation is for us to start doing just that," the coordinator emphasized.

The Universal

Lemus highlights the contribution of agriculture to the economy

For his part, Pablo Lemus Navarro, governor of Jalisco , attended the inauguration of the Banking Convention, addressing the strategy of consolidating the state as a fundamental pillar to boost the country's economic growth.

"Jalisco will do its part; it will be the engine of economic growth in Mexico for the coming years. It is a leader in various sectors that will be fundamental to the country's economy," the governor stated.

He noted that some of these sectors include agribusiness, since the state produces 17.8 percent of the food consumed in the country, and semiconductors, of which Jalisco produces seven out of ten nationwide.

"We are investing in agribusiness, that is, ensuring food security and autonomy for our country, and on the other hand, investing in the innovation, science, and technology sectors," the governor said.

Julio Carranza Bolívar, President of the Mexican Banking Association, praised the President of Mexico's economic work and stated that Mexican banking has grown by 70 percent, with liquidity in this sector, and that efforts will be made to expand the country's credit portfolio.

He added that 130 billion pesos have been invested in technological development and digital innovation alone , such as mobile banking, benefiting banking users with direct access to their transactions.

CT