As President Donald Trump’s administration continues to tighten its border policies with Mexico, Russia is making a concerted effort to establish a strategic corridor between the Yucatán Peninsula, Cuba, and itself. This move marks a significant shift in Russia’s economic and diplomatic strategy, as it seeks to expand its influence in Latin America.
According to figures from Mexico’s Ministry of Economy, Russian investment in the country has grown significantly since President Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office. In 2022, $2.8 million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) arrived in Mexico from Russia, rising to $86.4 million by 2024.
The initiative is part of a broader diplomatic and commercial offensive by the Kremlin, which has been modeled after its successful strategy with India. This includes sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and connectivity, with a focus on building direct channels for entrepreneurs and investors between Mexico, Cuba, and Russia.
Aleksey Valkov, director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, outlined the key elements of Russia’s strategy in an interview with Proceso. The first step involves creating a direct air route between Moscow and Mexico, with a stopover in Havana. This will establish a corridor for business and entrepreneurs, rather than just attracting tourists.
The formal launch of this strategy took place last April, when Russian businessmen and high-level officials arrived in Mexico to participate in a business forum. The event brought together 300 people from Russia and experts from different fields who discussed various aspects of bilateral relations.
Beyond cultural tourism, what Russia is proposing is a long-term repositioning, at a time when neoliberalism is losing ground and Latin America is reshaping itself as an open terrain for new economic alliances. Russia’s interest in Mexico is explicit, with gas, oil, renewable energy, and nuclear energy being key sectors of focus.
Valkov details that the proposals include the modernization of Mexico’s energy infrastructure, as well as a possible agreement to supply uranium to the Laguna Verde nuclear plant. They also offer advanced technology, such as small modular reactors, useful for bringing energy to remote regions of the country.
Russia is celebrating the 80th anniversary of atomic energy, and it can offer Mexico significant technological energy potential, including the small modular reactor sector. On June 23, the Russian Embassy in Mexico officially announced its willingness to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG), in addition to sharing specialized technologies for crude oil extraction in adverse geological conditions and processes to improve refining efficiency.
The repositioning of Russia’s diplomatic relations with Mexico is neither circumstantial nor impulsive. This year marks 135 years of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries, since they were established on December 1, 1890. For Valkov, this rapprochement is long-term and significant, with joint projects being planned that both parties are working on.
Russia’s efforts to establish a strategic corridor with Mexico through Cuba represent a new era in Latin American diplomacy, as the Kremlin seeks to expand its influence and economic presence in the region.
Source: Proceso
