Erik Osornio, general secretary of the Autonomous Confederation of Mexican Workers and Employees (CATEM) in Querétaro, expressed confidence that Samsung’s plans to invest in the state will not be affected by the tariff measures imposed by the United States.
Despite statements by Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung about the possible suspension of the company’s plans to move part of its refrigerator production to Mexico, Osornio considered this a temporary adjustment.
“It’s normal for companies to face this type of news about tariffs, yes or no. It’s normal that, in their economic and commercial perspective, they have to adapt to the fluctuations in production costs and the tariff uncertainty generated by President Trump. I’m confident because I know that Samsung’s issues were already too advanced for them to set up here.”
He noted that, although the Samsung union is not part of CATEM, the organization was aware of the company’s plans, which included the purchase of land in Querétaro for a possible expansion.
However, he indicated that tariff uncertainty has led some companies, especially Korean and Chinese, to put their investment projects on hold.
“Many companies that are planning to invest in Mexico, especially Korean and Chinese, would put a hold on their investments until the issue calms down and is defined, because tariff uncertainty is causing them to pause their investments in Mexico, which we hope will be temporary.”
He also stated that during 2024 they met with more than 40 Korean businessmen interested in investing in Mexico, some in the state of Querétaro, so there is interest from the Asian country in reaching the state, a situation that he hopes will prevail even with the tariff issue.
“If the tariffs go ahead, Mexico will have to readjust, Chinese and Korean companies will have to readjust and adjust their production models. At the end of the day, they have a lot of market to grow here, not just in the United States, which is important, but there’s plenty of room for growth.”
Source: oem
