Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
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⛓️ Steel deal: Sheinbaum signed a landmark agreement committing the federal government to purchase only Mexican steel for public infrastructure projects, with Anti-Corruption Minister Raquel Buenrostro designated as the deal’s enforcer.
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🇲🇽 Plan México push: Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard framed the pact as a strategic move for national autonomy, stressing that Mexican steel underpins nearly every major industrial supply chain in the country.
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🤝 Industry on board: Canacero chief Sergio de la Maza called the agreement a “decisive step” for import substitution, saying it protects around 90,000 direct jobs and provides certainty for over $8 billion in ongoing investment.
Why today’s mañanera matters
At today’s mañanera, the federal government presented what President Claudia Sheinbaum portrayed as a landmark pact with the Mexican steel industry. The agreement includes a commitment from the government to purchase Mexican steel for public infrastructure projects.
The Sheinbaum administration has taken concrete steps to support Mexican industry, such as implementing Plan México — whose aims include boosting domestic production and reducing reliance on imports — and imposing new and increased tariffs on goods from countries which Mexico doesn’t have free trade agreements, a move that affects China more than any other nation.
It also recently renewed tariffs on steel from China and other Asian nations as it seeks to protect a strategic national industry. The announcement of the steel deal today was another way in which the government is aiming to ensure the long-term survival of the Mexican steel industry.
Agreement for the Promotion of the Mexican Steel Industry
At the start of her press conference, Sheinbaum announced that the government was entering into an agreement aimed at boosting the Mexican steel industry.
The “historic” agreement — which was signed at the conclusion of the mañanera — is “for the promotion of the Mexican steel industry,” she said.
“The objective, as you know, is Plan México. Plan México has the goal of strengthening national production and strengthening supply chains within our economy,” Sheinbaum said.
🔴 La presidenta firmó un acuerdo para impulsar la industria siderúrgica y fortalecer el mercado interno.
El plan busca que las compras públicas prioricen proveedores nacionales, con la participación del gabinete económico y de Raquel Buenrostro.pic.twitter.com/AxrOQ2cVDr
— Azucena Uresti (@azucenau) April 29, 2026
The president said that what the federal government is “essentially” committing to is to purchase only Mexican steel for public infrastructure projects. The government is an important customer for the steel industry, purchasing large quantities of the alloy for a range of purposes, including construction, rail and defense projects.
Sheinbaum said that Anti-Corruption and Good Governance Minister Raquel Buenrostro will be the “guardian” of the agreement, or the person who will ensure that the commitment to buy only Mexican steel is met.
Buenrostro said that “a collaboration agreement between the public sector and the steel and construction industries” has been established.
“With what aim? Well, with the aim of developing mechanisms that guarantee the strengthening of employment, economic growth and the industrialization of our country,” she said.
Buenrostro explained the details of the public-private agreement, noting that the government and the Mexican steel industry will reach deals to guarantee the supply of high-quality steel at “fair prices.”
She indicated that private companies and private-public joint ventures would qualify for government support if they use Mexican steel in their projects.
“We want public, private and mixed investments to receive support … in such a way that the Mexican steel industry is strengthened,” Buenrostro said.
“… Where the government buys [Mexican steel], the people win,” she said.
The narrator of a short video Buenrostro presented said: “In the face of a complex international environment, we’re betting on Plan México to strengthen the internal market and support national employment. Today, the Agreement for the Promotion of the Mexican Steel Industry is the [government’s] response to strengthen national content in public works.”
Ebrard: The Mexican steel industry is ‘extraordinarily important for autonomy’
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard noted that the agreement announced on Wednesday came after a meeting between Sheinbaum and representatives of the National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero).
“An evaluation of where we are was done,” he said.
“It’s an extraordinarily important industry for [Mexican] autonomy, for the security of our productive chain, I would say,” Ebrard added.
“In other words, the Mexican steel industry is responsible for the production of many inputs for almost all the industrial chains of Mexico,” he said.
“That’s why we have to take great care of it. In addition, it is of great importance to employment, it generates value,” Ebrard said.
The economy minister noted that “the agreement presented today” is “in essence” a commitment from the government to prioritize the purchase of Mexican steel and other locally produced goods.
“We have to import some things, but we have to make the effort to first look at what we make in our country,” Ebrard said.
The economy minister last month presented a new policy of increasing government purchases based on Mexican content, which will direct federal entities to prioritize national content over lower costs.
Canacero chief: Agreement is a ‘decisive step’
Sergio de la Maza, president of the National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry, expressed his satisfaction with the establishment of the Agreement for the Promotion of the Mexican Steel Industry.
The agreement, he said, is a “decisive step to strengthen our sector, increase national content and make progress in the substitution of imports within the framework of Plan México.”
After expressing his gratitude to Sheinbaum, de la Maza declared that the steel industry agrees with this “shared effort” and takes on the “assignment” of supplying high-quality steel to the Mexican government “with the responsibility and commitment that Mexico demands.”
“This agreement is key to supporting around 90,000 direct jobs, giving certainty to ongoing investments of over US $8 billion and strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of our industry,” he said.
Last month, de la Maza said that cooperation with the government will allow Mexican steel to compete “in a complex trade environment featuring market distortions primarily due to overcapacity and unfair trade.”
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
