Video On Demand

Online Event: The Mexican Economy and Its Impact on Migration

May 27, 2020 • 1:00 – 2:00 pm EDT

Please join the CSIS Americas Program for a discussion on how Mexico's economy, which has taken a devastating hit due to Covid-19, is affecting migration patterns.

Last year, the Mexican economy contracted for the first time in a decade. This contraction was mainly due to a series of government decisions and changes which took the private sector by surprise and depressed domestic and foreign investment. The appearance of Covid-19 has pushed Mexico further and faster down the economic contraction path by impacting its main economic pillars: trade, tourism, and oil. Economic experts fear that Mexico could enter a period of depression with very high unemployment. Coneval estimates that up to 11 million Mexicans could fall into extreme poverty, which would bring the number to approximately 32 million people. Past economic downturns in Mexico (1980s and 1990s) have coincided with an increase in violence and greater migration to the United States.

During this event, our panelists will discuss the potential effects of this economic downturn, particularly in terms of Mexican migration to the United States. They will also discuss Mexico's ability to continue receiving migrants from the Northern Triangle in the midst of their economic downturn.