LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

December 23, 2024

What Will a Higher Minimum Wage Mean for Mexicans?

Mexico will raise its minimum wage by 12 percent on New Year’s Day. Workers in Guanajuato state are pictured. // File Photo: Mexican Government.

Q

A

Lucinda Vargas, associate director of the Center for Border Economic Development at New Mexico State University: “Mexico’s minimum wage more than doubled during the six years of the previous administration, increasing on average 19 percent per year from 2019 to 2024. The 12 percent minimum wage increase to take effect in 2025, which is to be followed by similar annual increases during the Sheinbaum administration, has the stated target of achieving, by 2030, a minimum-wage earner’s ability to afford 2.5 baskets of basic grocery goods, up from 1.8 baskets afforded by the current minimum wage. Of the 59.5 million employed workers in Mexico in the third quarter of 2024, around 37.4 percent earned the minimum wage, while 32 percent earned up to twice the minimum wage. Regarding the higher minimum wage that applies in Mexico’s northern border zone…”

Top News

Trump Suggests Attempt to Retake Panama Canal
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump suggested on Sunday that he may seek to retake control of the Panama Canal after he takes office in January. Panama’s president rejected the notion.
Occidental Gets License for Colombia Project
Colombia’s environmental agency on Friday approved a license for U.S.-based Occidental Petroleum to proceed with exploring for oil and gas in a deepwater block off the Colombia’s coast.
Colombia’s ELN Rebels Announce Christmas Truce
Colombia’s ELN rebel group on Sunday announced a unilateral truce, saying it will halt attacks until Jan. 3. President Gustavo Petro expressed hopes for an end to the conflict in the coming year.

Complete editions of the Latin America Advisor are delivered on a biweekly basis to members of the Dialogue’s Corporate Program and other subscribers. Sign up below for a free complimentary preview subscription.

ABOUT THE LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.

Subscribers

Staff

Gene Kuleta
Editor
P. 202.463.2920
E. gkuleta@thedialogue.org

Carl David
Goette-Luciak
Reporter

Nili Blanck
Reporter

board of advisors

Diego Arria
Director,
Columbus Group

Merike Blofield
Professor of Political Science,
University of Hamburg

Devry Boughner Vorwerk
CEO,
DevryBV Sustainable Strategies

Joyce Chang
Global Head of Research,
J.P. Morgan

Marlene Fernández
Corporate Vice President for Gov’t Relations,
Arcos Dorados (McDonald’s)

Peter Hakim
President Emeritus,
Inter-American Dialogue

Donna Hrinak
Director,
Adtalem Global Education

Jon E. Huenemann
Council Member,
GLG Inc.

James R. Jones
Chairman,
Monarch Global Strategies

Craig Kelly
Senior Director,
Int’l Gov’t Relations,
Exxon Mobil

Barbara Kotschwar
Professor of Political Economy,
Georgetown University

John Maisto
Director,
US Education Finance Group

Nicolas Mariscal
Chairman,
Grupo Marhnos

Thomas F. McLarty III
Chairman,
McLarty Associates

Beatrice Rangel
Director,
AMLA Consulting

Ernesto Revilla
Head of Latin American Economics, Citi

Gustavo Roosen
President,
IESA

Andrés Rozental
President, Rozental &
Asociados

Shelly Shetty
Managing Director,
Sovereigns, Fitch

Subscribe To
Latin America Advisors

* indicates required field

The Inter-American Dialogue Education Program

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER / SUSCRÍBASE A NUESTRO BOLETÍN:

* indicates required