December 17, 2020

The Mexican Federal Government signed an agreement with Pfizer and AstraZeneca to produce and distribute 34.4 million and 77.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, respectively. While federal authorities continue to hold conversations with other pharmaceuticals to secure additional doses, the Secretariat of Health shared an overview of their distribution plan to be delivered in 5 phases:

• Phase 1 (December 2020-February 2021): Healthcare workers at the front line and/or attending to COVID-19 patients.
• Phase 2 (February-April 2021): Remaining healthcare workers and individuals over 60 years old.
• Phase 3 (April-June 2021): Individuals between ages 50-59.
• Phase 4 (May-June 2021): Individuals between ages 40-49.
• Phase 5 (June 2021-March 2022): Remaining population.

In Baja, the State Government implemented increased restrictions and precautionary measures in light of the rising number of new COVID-19 cases across the state. Notable changes include:

• Suspension of a list of non-essential activities considered to be high-risk including gyms, bars, nightclubs, public pools, recreational centers, and places of worship.
• Restaurants, museums, and theaters may operate at up to a 30% capacity.
• Hotels and retailers may operate at up to a 25% capacity with no access to common areas.
• Supermarkets may operate at up to a 50% capacity, providing access to only one person per family (with exception of minors accompanied by an adult).
• Hair salons may operate at up to a 15% capacity and by appointment only.
• Sports events may take place with no audience present.
• Mass events and large gatherings remain prohibited until further notice.
• In anticipation of the holiday season, state and municipal authorities launched media campaigns to reinforce recommended precautions and ask residents to avoid family gatherings of multiple households.

The Chamber is proud to join Mexico’s Confederation of the National Chambers of Commerce (CONCANACO) and our partners south of the border in support of their new campaign urging the business community to wear a mask and comply with health protocols to help stop the spread of COVID-19. CONCANACO issued posters and graphics (available here) for businesses, which show the proper use of face coverings and other precautionary measures to follow at the workplace.

INDEX Zona Costa, working closely with Baja’s Secretariat of Sustainable Economy and Tourism, has scheduled a partial suspension of operations for the manufacturing industry from December 23, 2020 to January 4, 2021 in an effort to reduce mobility across the state and reduce the risk of exposure. Nearly 200 manufacturers employing 70,000 employees have joined this initiative to reduce activities and partially freeze the sector for at least 11 days in hopes of reducing the number of new COVID-19 cases. Smaller businesses are encouraged to follow the lead by suspending operations for as many days as possible during this period.

December 16, 2020

This month’s International Business Affairs Forums explored the future of the energy sector and its role in strengthening and broadening the U.S.-Mexico relationship. Attendees heard from SEMPRA Energy’s affiliate in Mexico, IEnova, and Pattern Energy about the energy projects taking place in our region, challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and public-private opportunities within the energy sector as we move toward sustainability.

The energy choices we make today will have significant effects on our regional economy, environment, and quality of life. For a video recording of the virtual discussion, please click here.

December 16, 2020

Last year, Governors Gavin Newsom of California, Jaime Bonilla of Baja California, and Carlos Mendoza of Baja California Sur, signed an MOU reestablishing the Commission of the Californias. The initiative created a binational forum to share information on common interests and issues, as well as discussing strategies to approach a solution together. This month, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis informed that the Commission met with representatives from different state agencies from both sides of the border who explored collaboration opportunities across a variety of sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, trade, environment, energy, and public health. The resulting trilateral agreements included the following:

• Tabletop exercises to prepare for natural disasters;
• Enhanced cooperation on a wide range of environmental issues including transboundary pollution impacting the Tijuana River Valley in our region; and
• Plan to conduct an evaluation on the feasibility of a joint trilateral pavilion for trade shows and binational efforts to continue to boost our economic competitiveness once in-person activities are resumed.

The Commission builds on a history of collaboration and understanding between the three states and our binational community.

December 16, 2020

President López Obrador traveled to Baja this month to meet with state and municipal authorities. During his visit, the President announced the extension of the “Zona Libre” program through 2024 and a plan to make the program permanent. “Zona Libre,” or the Economic Free Zone program, was implemented in 2019 in 43 municipalities bordering the United States and offers benefits such as reducing the value-added tax (IVA) from 16% to 8%, decreasing the corporate income tax (ISR) from 30% to 20%, and doubling the daily minimum wage rate.

President López Obrador also signed an agreement with Baja’s Secretariat of Fisheries (SEPESCA); National Institute of Fisheries (INAPESCA); National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA); Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRICULTURA); and Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR) to coordinate federal and state efforts to protect the environment and promote sustainable fisheries, increase federal resources including an economic relief package for local fishermen, and protect endangered species such as the vaquita.

December 16, 2020

Baja’s Water Management, Sanitation, and Protection Agency (SEPROA) announced a project to provide much needed maintenance, repairs, and upgrades to the Punta Bandera wastewater treatment plant in Tijuana to help reduce transboundary pollution impacting our region. The project is estimated to cost $600 million pesos (about $30 million USD) with half of the funding provided by Mexico’s National Infrastructure Fund (FONADIN), National Bank of Public Works and Services (BANOBRAS), and the Mexican Federal Government, and the remaining provided by Baja’s State Government. The Punta Bandera wastewater treatment plant has been inactive for the last decade. The reactivation of Punta Bandera will contribute greatly to reducing transboundary polluted flows, and will potentially help address agriculture irrigation shortages in Ensenada.

After the completion of their 60-day project to remove over 300,000 cubic meters of sediment and solid waste along the 28 kilometers of the Tijuana River channel, SEPROA continues to work on upgrades to key water and wastewater infrastructure in Tijuana and Rosarito, while identifying the main sources of pollution. These upgrades, along with increased coordination with U.S. authorities, are estimated to reduce the volume of northbound transboundary flows during dry weather by 70 percent and have already resulted in fewer northbound flows reported.

In California, Governor Newsom signed a bill that requires the state’s Environmental Protection Agency to create a Watershed Action Plan for the Tijuana River Valley. SB 1301, authored by Sen. Hueso, also looks to address cross-border challenges in the watershed’s management and creates a framework for how U.S. and Mexican agencies can work together to mitigate polluted flows.

The Chamber continues to advocate for efforts to advance infrastructure projects that will help mitigate pollution and minimize water deficits to the U.S. To fulfill that goal, the Chamber participates as a member of the International Boundary and Water Commission’s (IBWC) Binational Core Working Group that meets periodically to provide advice and advance infrastructure solutions, and has submitted letters that have helped secure funding at the state and federal level on both sides of the border to implement these projects moving forward.

December 16, 2020

Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A federal court ordered the full restoration of the DACA program in an order filed Friday, December 4. The program, which began in 2012, provides temporary protection from deportation to qualified individuals who arrived in the U.S. as children and allows them to work and attend school. The Department of Homeland Security will now be accepting first-time applications for the program and advanced parole documents, process program renewals, and issue employment authorizations to DACA recipients which are once again valid for two years instead of the one-year period previously imposed by the administration.

The Chamber has issued letters in support of the DACA program. Nearly 800,000 DACA recipients, also known as Dreamers, are a vital part of the U.S. economy and about 40,000 of them call San Diego their home. It is also estimated that one-third of DACA recipients are essential workers helping communities through this pandemic, with around 29,000 serving as healthcare professionals on the front lines. We urge Congress to take up legislation to make this program permanent and prevent future uncertainty for our communities and economy.

For more information on the program, please visit the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service’s website, or contact the Mexican Consulate in San Diego at proteccion@consulsd.org.

December 16, 2020

The Mexican Federal Government signed an agreement with Pfizer and AstraZeneca to produce and distribute 34.4 million and 77.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, respectively. While federal authorities continue to hold conversations with other pharmaceuticals to secure additional doses, the Secretariat of Health shared an overview of their distribution plan to be delivered in 5 phases:

• Phase 1 (December 2020-February 2021): Healthcare workers at the front line and/or attending to COVID-19 patients.
• Phase 2 (February-April 2021): Remaining healthcare workers and individuals over 60 years old.
• Phase 3 (April-June 2021): Individuals between ages 50-59.
• Phase 4 (May-June 2021): Individuals between ages 40-49.
• Phase 5 (June 2021-March 2022): Remaining population.

In Baja, the State Government implemented increased restrictions and precautionary measures in light of the rising number of new COVID-19 cases across the state. Notable changes include:

• Suspension of a list of non-essential activities considered to be high-risk including gyms, bars, nightclubs, public pools, recreational centers, and places of worship.
• Restaurants, museums, and theaters may operate at up to a 30% capacity.
• Hotels and retailers may operate at up to a 25% capacity with no access to common areas.
• Supermarkets may operate at up to a 50% capacity, providing access to only one person per family (with exception of minors accompanied by an adult).
• Hair salons may operate at up to a 15% capacity and by appointment only.
• Sports events may take place with no audience present.
• Mass events and large gatherings remain prohibited until further notice.
• In anticipation of the holiday season, state and municipal authorities launched media campaigns to reinforce recommended precautions and ask residents to avoid family gatherings of multiple households.

The Chamber is proud to join Mexico’s Confederation of the National Chambers of Commerce (CONCANACO) and our partners south of the border in support of their new campaign urging the business community to wear a mask and comply with health protocols to help stop the spread of COVID-19. CONCANACO issued posters and graphics (available here) for businesses, which show the proper use of face coverings and other precautionary measures to follow at the workplace.

INDEX Zona Costa, working closely with Baja’s Secretariat of Sustainable Economy and Tourism, has scheduled a partial suspension of operations for the manufacturing industry from December 23, 2020 to January 4, 2021 in an effort to reduce mobility across the state and reduce the risk of exposure. Nearly 200 manufacturers employing 70,000 employees have joined this initiative to reduce activities and partially freeze the sector for at least 11 days in hopes of reducing the number of new COVID-19 cases. Smaller businesses are encouraged to follow the lead by suspending operations for as many days as possible during this period.