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Three years after the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador began, bankers see Mexico as a country with enormous opportunities and challenges.
They are convinced that their commitment is to Mexico and that this commitment is not in conflict with the results of financial institutions.
On the contrary, they are certain that if Mexico is doing well, the banking business is doing well.
Therefore, they define themselves as moderate optimists.
Because they know that although there are major challenges, there are also opportunities that, if taken advantage of, will do well for the national economy.
They are bankers who operate in Mexico, whose institutions have national and international capital and administer resources from Mexico and abroad.
It is the end of the year and it is time for reflection.
The president of the Association of Banks of Mexico (ABM), Daniel Becker, looks at the glass half full.
But he is also aware that banking in Mexico has an impressive challenge.
Commercial banking is the largest source of financing for the private sector and in the last two decades it has increased penetration as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product by almost 11 percentage points.
However, there is still enormous potential for growth. And it is that the penetration of the bank as a proportion of the Gross Domestic Product is barely 21 percent.
Adding up the entire financial sector, that is, if development banking and non-banking financial businesses are added, it reaches 38%. The penetration of banking in Mexico is very far from the penetration registered in Brazil, for example that is 70%.
Becker warns that a central issue in relation to banking penetration is the informal economy.
Today the bank, says Becker, is solid and solvent. It has 1.4 billion pesos to finance companies and families.
But structural problems must be solved.
And Julio Carranza, vice president of the ABM, agrees in this, who affirms that banks have to focus on doing the best possible job of placing credit and staying healthy.
Eduardo Osuna, also vice president of the bankers’ organization, underlines the importance of the evolution that Mexican banking has had, which allowed it to go from being the problem to being part of the solution.
Mexican banking in recent years has been strengthened and reached the highest standards of international banking regulation.
The executive president of the ABM, Rodrigo Brand, warns that for the next year 2022 there are very good economic expectations and great opportunities to take advantage of.
It highlights that Mexico today has a solid fiscal position that differentiates it from other countries.
The bank has the resources to continue promoting the productive sectors.
And in the face of the microchip shortage crisis, Mexico can attract investment from other parts of the world.
In short, that is the perspective of the bankers. The truth is that bankers are right to focus on two fundamental things: 1.- Doing their job well to consolidate and strengthen the bank and 2.- Avoid lawsuits that only wear out.
Three years after the current government began, bankers were no longer the favorite villain of the Chief Executive.
The prudence and caution that they have maintained in their speech and public position in front of the Executive Power, undoubtedly explains why the constant presidential attack has been left behind.
But above all, what has changed in the relationship between the President of Mexico and the bankers is that they reacted with immediacy and responsibility to the Covid-19 pandemic. His action was essential to help account holders overcome the difficult situation that caused the confinement and economic unemployment.
The bankers are showing a lot of resilience, in the face of the lopezobradorista government management.
During this six-year term, it has had constant changes in its interlocutors: three secretaries of the Treasury, three presidents of the National Banking and Securities Commission and four directors in development banking: Nafin and Bancomext.
His formula seems right: work and results.
marcomaresg@gmail.com
Journalist
Rich and powerful
He has worked continuously in newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Internet, in the last 31 years he has specialized in business, finance and economics. He is one of the three hosts of the Alebrijes, Águila o Sol program, a program specializing in economic issues that is broadcast on Foro TV.
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