Trade, tariffs and Trump have pervaded discussions among chemical industry executives in Mexico lately. Political change in Mexico and the United States dominated public and private discourse in 2024 and set the standard for 2025. The election of Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico marks a continuation of the Presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and of the Morena party, though perhaps with a more technocratic consolidation. To the north, the re-election of Donald Trump has profound implications for Mexico, as the tariffs war is already unfolding, within North America and globally. 

On the domestic scene, Sheinbaum's election has cemented the Morena party's power. As her presidency looks to build the 'second floor' of its 'fourth transformation' of the country, it has released a list of 100 commitments that are fundamental to its vision of a transformed Mexico, including various points of significance to the nation's chemical industry, like growing the scale of renewable energy in the country and increasing the national production of petrochemicals and fertilizers, two points which the chemical industry has highlighted as promising news for the sector. 

Across the chemical industry, private-public dialogue is improving, and companies are cautiously optimistic about future collaboration on substantive issues, cutting across logistics, agriculture and petrochemicals.