To encourage investment and the economy, Claudia Sheinbaum is calling on banks to increase lending to small and medium-sized enterprises by reducing the requirements for obtaining loans. This measure was proposed yesterday during the meeting that the president held with banking leaders and her economic cabinet at the National Palace. «What is it that Colombia or Colombian banks have that Mexican banks do not? Lower requirements to be able to access credit», she said. She clarified that the analysis of this mechanism is designed to ensure that the financial system is not put at risk. Sheinbaum explained that one of the limitations to economic growth is related to access to credit, so increasing it has become a priority task with the banking sector since last year, when an agreement was signed to increase financing for small and medium-sized companies by 3.5% annually between 2025 and 2030. The manufacturing industry lost more than 127,000 jobs in 2025, a key part of the Mexico Plan. She said that since then, access to credit from commercial banks has increased by one percentage point, and she is seeking for it to grow by two this year. The goal by the end of her six-year term is for credit access to reach 30%, up from the current 25%. This mechanism is taking place in an environment where the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) has less room to cut interest rates. «Beyond the rate, we are looking to facilitate the requirements, because interest rates have already gone down», the president said at her morning press conference this Wednesday. She cited the case of Colombia, a country where, despite having higher interest rates than in Mexico, they grant more loans. While she signaled that rate cuts will continue this year, she warned they will be gradual. The meeting at the Palace between the country's economic authorities and the banking sector also comes within the framework of the president's goal to promote the Mexico Plan and advance the digitization of payments. Yesterday, at a press conference, Marcos Ramírez, CEO of Grupo Financiero Banorte, explained that the dialogue was focused on «how we make things happen faster in the Mexico Plan» and announced that there will be an announcement regarding this next week. «I see very aligned objectives, commitments from all sides for some great things that will be coming out in the coming weeks, and we are very optimistic about that», he said.
