Sinaloa foreign direct investment plummets amid cartel turf war

Data from the national authorities indicates overseas nonstop concern (FDI) successful the violence-wracked authorities of Sinaloa has shrunk considerably this year, but authorities officials importune concern assurance remains high.

Amid a civilian warfare betwixt factions of the Sinaloa cause cartel that surpassed 13 months past week, capitalist assurance is wavering, according to the quality mag Expansión.

Despite a driblet successful FDI from US $262.8M to $34.3M successful the archetypal six months of 2025, Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha insists that concern assurance successful his authorities is precocious and points to a caller Moody’s credit-rating upgrade arsenic proof. (José Betanzos Zárate/Cuartoscuro)

Economy Ministry information indicates FDI successful Sinaloa plummeted 87% during the archetypal six months of 2025, shrinking from US $262.8 cardinal successful the aforesaid play past twelvemonth to US $34.3 cardinal this year.

The United States, traditionally the biggest overseas capitalist successful the state, contributed US $17.6 cardinal successful January-June 2025, down from US $129 cardinal during the aforesaid play past year.

U.S. concern leaders accidental insecurity remains 1 of the biggest obstacles to investing successful Mexico, according to Investment Climate Statements published by the U.S. State Department.

State officials connection a antithetic story. 

Governor Rubén Rocha’s medication insists assurance successful the state’s quality to conscionable fiscal commitments and support liable absorption of its nationalist indebtedness is strong.

His assertion earned enactment connected Monday erstwhile Moody’s boosted Sinaloa’s recognition standing from “negative” to “stable.”

David Moreno, the state’s undersecretary of Planning, Investment and Financing, said the upgrade reflects the fiscal subject demonstrated by the Rocha administration, which has strengthened operating income and controlled nationalist spending.

“Our outlook for the adjacent six to 18 months is stable, according to the standing agencies,” helium said. “This establishes Sinaloa arsenic a reliable authorities for nationalist and planetary lending agencies.”

Sinaloa’s Economy Ministry says the authorities has attracted US $1.7 cardinal successful overseas concern since Rocha took bureau successful November 2021, 85% of the governor’s extremity of US $2 cardinal for his full term.

“Governor Rocha has acceptable a caller extremity of US $3 cardinal earlier his word ends successful 2027,” said Economy Minister Ricardo Velarde, identifying the Economic Development Hub project and burgeoning investments successful hotels crossed the authorities arsenic grounds of Sinaloa’s stability.

Last month, tens of thousands of radical took to the streets of Culiacán, demanding an extremity to the violence. Many called for Rocha’s resignation. Two months earlier, a canvass conducted by the nationalist statistic bureau INEGI revealed that Culiacán residents considered their metropolis to beryllium the slightest harmless successful each of Mexico.

With reports from Expansión, El Sol de Sinaloa and El Financiero