RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas - While U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s recent speech at South Texas College’s Starr Campus was focused on broadband and improving technology in the classroom, he did briefly touch on trade.
The Laredo congressman said: “Trade between the US and Mexico last year was $863 billion. Within the next few years, we will reach $1 trillion between the US and Mexico. That's over a million dollars of trade, every single minute. Every single minute we have over a million dollars of trade.”
Analysts say the current surge in trade between the U.S. and Mexico is fueled in part by near-shoring in Mexico. This is the phenomenon whereby corporations that previously manufactured in China and the Far East are setting up plants in North America to avoid the supply chain disruptions witnessed during the pandemic.
Editor's Note: Here, below, are two audio interviews and one piece of audio commentary on the related themes of the Colombia bridge, Nuevo León, Tesla, and near-shoring.
LAREDO, Texas - As well as expanding the number of lanes at the Laredo–Colombia Solidarity International Bridge in anticipation of Tesla, a cross-border rail line should be added, says U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar.
The Laredo congressman was interviewed about the Colombia port of entry at a recent transportation event in his hometown.
Interest in developing the bridge has heightened due to a request from Elon Musk that a dedicated lane be added for Tesla, which is building an EV manufacturing plant in Monterrey.
Here is the interview.
LAREDO, Texas - Renowned international trade and finance expert Gerry Schwebel says Texas need to invest more in land port of entry infrastructure.
The executive vice president, corporate international division, for IBC Bank says failure to make the investment will result in the state failing to capitalize on the current near-shoring phenomenon in Mexico.
Schwebel is based in Laredo. Across the Rio Grande from his city, the state of Nuevo León is currently securing 72.2 percent of near-shoring activity. That is according to GBM and CRB data.
The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service interviewed Schwebel at a recent transportation event in Laredo. The banker was asked to comment on the planned expansion of the Laredo–Colombia Solidarity International Bridge, in readiness for the EV manufacturing plant Tesla is building in Monterrey.
MCALLEN, Texas - Mexico expert Duncan Wood says the state he is paying most attention to in Mexico these days is Nuevo León.
Wood is vice president for strategy and new initiatives at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., and senior advisor to the Mexico Institute, which is housed within the Wilson Center.
Wood spoke at three events in the Rio Grande Valley recently. At each one he praised the leadership of Nuevo León governor, Samuel Alejandro García Sepúlveda.
Wood handed out a slideshow print-out at a breakfast event hosted by the CEO Club at the McAllen Country Club. It showed that Nuevo León is currently capturing 72.2 percent of Mexico’s near-shoring. The data was sourced from GBM and CRB.
Here are Wood’s remarks about Nuevo León and its “Tesla moment.”
