In a letter addressed to the heads of Foreign Relations, Energy and the Economy, their counterparts in the United States asked Mexico to comply with its obligations of the T-MEC in the energy field, giving certainty to US investments in the sector, and ending concerns generated by public policies aimed at favoring Mexican state energy companies.
Thus, United States officials Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State, Dan Brouillette, Secretary of Energy and Wilbur Ross, Minister of Commerce, told Marcelo Ebrard, of the SRE, Rocío Nahle, of the Sener, and Tatiana Clouthier, of the SE, his concern about US investments in the energy sector in Mexico, citing a September 22 meeting with Mexican regulators, “who allegedly received instructions to block permits for private sector energy projects and exercise their regulatory authority to favor state energy companies ”.
“If true, this would be deeply worrisome and would raise concerns regarding Mexico’s commitments under the T-MEC,” the letter reads.
High officials of the Donald Trump administration affirm that if it favors its state-owned companies, Mexico would affect private investments of US origin in the sector, in addition to the public investments in energy of the United States government in Mexico, of “hundreds of millions of dollars”.
The letter explains that investments made with US taxpayer money are made through the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) of the United States, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Exim Bank), and public investments from the United States and Mexico through the North American Development Bank (NADB).
The letter makes the remark that while the United States respects Mexico’s sovereign right to determine its own energy policies, it insists that Mexico comply with its obligations under the T-MEC.
Finally, they point out that an attractive investment climate, supported by regulations applied in a non-discriminatory manner, can create jobs and encourage the investment necessary to ensure Mexico’s energy self-sufficiency while keeping energy costs affordable for consumers. “
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