Mexican officials shake off investor concern in bilateral business summit
Updates with additional detail from conference, background
By Cassandra Garrison
MEXICO CITY, Oct 15 (Reuters) -Mexican officials urged safety and stability in private investment in the country on Tuesday, following a bilateral summit with business leaders in which fears about constitutional reforms dominated the agenda.
Companies such as Amazon AMZN.O, Mexico Pacific, Royal Caribbean RCL.N and Woodside Energy WDS.AX are set to make significant investments in the country in the next year, Economy Ministry Marcelo Ebrard said.
Close to 250 executives attended the summit, held annually but of particular importance this year in the first weeks of President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration.
"The messages from President Sheinbaum were certainty, assuredness," Ebrard said. "Investments in Mexico are safe. We're going to work so trade in the region keeps growing."
Last month, Mexico's Congress passed a sweeping judicial overhaul, which will put judges up for election by popular vote, arguing it will reduce corruption.
But the reform has drawn concerns from top trading partners Canada and the U.S. and risks being challenged by both countries under the trilateral USMCA trade agreement, which is up for review in 2026.
"None of these reforms are a problem for investment in Mexico," Sheinbaum said.
She added that legislation which will lay out how an energy reform will be implemented - known as a "secondary law" - will also establish a framework for investment in the sector.
Sheinbaum is readying her national energy plan to present it next year.
TOTAL INVESTMENTS
Ebrard said the total investments announced on Tuesday - many of which had already been previously confirmed by the companies themselves - topped $20 billion. That figure could come up to $30 billion if more planned investments materialized, he added.
Mexico Pacific, which is building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant in the western coastal state of Sonora, will invest around $15 billion in the country in 2025, Ebrard said.
The firm had previously said the plant's construction would cost that.
Major passenger cruise line Royal Caribbean Group, meanwhile, is set to invest $1.5 billion in what Ebrard called a hub for "touristic development."
The firm said earlier this month it will develop an excursion site for day-time stops at the port of Mahahual, in southern Quintana Roo state. Local media had then pegged the investment at closer to $600 million.
Ebrard added that Amazon would invest $6 billion over the next two years to boost its network and digital capacity in Mexico. The company had previously said it would invest $5 billion in Mexico over 15 years.
Woodside Energy, meanwhile, is weighing an investment of around $10.4 billion in a tie-up with state oil producer Pemex, Ebrard said.
Last year, Woodside forecast its share of the capital expenditure for the Trion deepwater oil project to be $4.8 billion, with Pemex covering the other $7.2 billion.
Reporting by Cassandra Garrison, Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Kylie Madry; Editing by Stephen Coates
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