Gov. Pritzker Concludes Trade Mission to Mexico
Day 3 included fireside chat at private capital summit, trade mission included conversations with over 100 representatives from 50 major Mexican companies
April 2, 2025
MEXICO CITY — Today, Governor JB Pritzker, Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), and Intersect Illinois completed their trade mission to Mexico City. Through this mission, the State of Illinois sought to strengthen its longstanding partnership with Mexico, paving the way for future investment and shared success.
“With this trade mission, we have begun laying the foundation for an exciting new era of cooperation and shared prosperity for Illinois and Mexico,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m grateful for the teams at Intersect Illinois, DCEO, and IDOA for their hard work on this successful trip and ongoing commitment to ambitious international partnerships. And to our neighbors in Mexico—thank you for your hospitality and collaboration. I look forward to seeing the impact of this work across our agriculture, business, and innovation sectors.”
"This trip reinforced critical ties between our administration and Mexico. We brought our tools and our knowledge to the table this week and our partners matched us measure for measure," said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. "I’m proud of Governor Pritzker and the delegation for demonstrating that Illinois isn’t just open for business, we’re eager to make business happen."
The final day of the delegation’s visit began with a local press call, sharing with reporters from Illinois a readout of conversations and engagements on the ground about bringing more economic opportunity back home. Governor Pritzker, Lieutenant Governor Stratton, and Cabrera Capital Markets CEO & Founder Martin Cabrera shared insight about their productive conversations with more than 100 representatives from more than 50 major Mexican companies pitching them on bringing business to Illinois.
Following the press call, Governor Pritzker and members of the delegation attended the AMEXCAP 2025 Private Capital Summit, hosted in México City. Governor Pritzker took part in a fireside chat during the conference entitled “Beyond Borders: Illinois’ Path to Cross-Border Economic Growth” alongside AMEXCAP CEO Liliana Reyes, AMEXCAP Chairman Pablo Coballasi, and Martin Cabrera.
The fireside chat highlighted Illinois’ role in fostering cross-border collaboration and promoting business development across the two regions—with intensified focus due to the current geopolitical environment.
Around 500 company representatives were in attendance for the fireside chat, which was moderated by Enrique Perret, Managing Director of the US-Mexico Foundation. Governor Pritzker answered various questions about key economic policies in Illinois, the push for tariffs from the U.S. federal government, and why the Illinois-Mexico trade relationship must remain strong.
There is robust bilateral trade between Illinois and Mexico, which exceeded $32 billion in 2024, making Mexico Illinois' second-largest export market. With a diverse array of exports, including chemicals, agricultural products, and machinery, Illinois has solidified its role as a key trading partner for Mexico. Additionally, Mexico is Illinois' third-largest import market, with Illinois importing over $19 billion in goods, including beverages, transportation equipment, and electronics. The growing number of Mexico-based companies in Illinois further illustrates the strong economic ties between the two regions.
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