Matamoros escalates fight to avoid being cut out of Mexico’s $2.7B trade corridor

Matamoros business leaders are widening their infrastructure demands as pressure builds over a $2.7 billion trade corridor they fear could reshape northern Mexico’s economy without the city.

Weeks after formally requesting inclusion in Mexico’s planned Gulf North Corridor, business leaders say they are still awaiting a formal response from the federal government.

What started as a request for one highway connection has now evolved into a broader push to reposition Matamoros within northern Mexico’s trade and logistics network.

The private sector is no longer advocating only for a highway segment tied to the corridor. Business organizations are now advancing a wider infrastructure agenda that includes rail access, bridge connectivity, freight bypasses, and stronger links to Puerto del Norte as they work to position Matamoros inside the next phase of cross-border trade growth.

The concern is larger than transportation.

Business leaders warn that if the city remains outside the corridor’s core route, trade flows, industrial investment, and logistics growth could increasingly concentrate elsewhere — particularly in Reynosa — at a time when Matamoros is already dealing with job losses and industrial strain.

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“We want to be part of the project, not left out,” said David García, president of the Matamoros Business Coordinating Council, or CCEM.

The Gulf North Corridor is part of Mexico’s National Highway Infrastructure Plan for 2025–2030 and carries an estimated investment of more than 40 billion pesos, or about $2.27 billion. State officials have described the project as a strategic trade route meant to strengthen logistics connections across Tamaulipas.

Current plans still center on Reynosa and do not formally include Matamoros.

Brownsville mayor backs Matamoros push

The effort has also drawn support north of the border.

In a social media post, Brownsville Mayor John Cowen Jr. said Matamoros’ inclusion in the corridor is critical to maintaining regional trade competitiveness and cross-border connectivity.

“A $2.7 billion federal highway project in Tamaulipas has the potential to reshape trade across our region, and decisions like these don’t stop at the border,” Cowen said. “Matamoros is a critical partner in our binational economy, and its inclusion in the Gulf North Corridor is essential to maintaining strong, efficient trade flows that benefit both sides of the Rio Grande.”

Cowen added that growing investment, port activity, and industrial expansion across the region require infrastructure planning that reflects the broader cross-border economy.

“Brownsville stands with our partners in Matamoros. When we invest in connectivity, we invest in opportunity, for our workforce, our businesses, and the future of our shared economy,” he said.

Proposal expands beyond one highway segment

Since submitting their original request, business organizations in Matamoros have expanded the scope of what they are asking for.

The proposal now includes widening the Matamoros–Los Indios Highway, adding rail connectivity to Puerto del Norte, and creating a bypass route intended to ease industrial and energy-related freight traffic.

“We are not only referring to the ‘Y’ junction near San Fernando, which connects the routes to Matamoros, Reynosa and Ciudad Victoria; we are looking at a comprehensive solution for mobility, safety and logistics,” García said.

He added that the request is not tied to a single industry or project, but to the city’s broader economic future.

“We have universities, industrial parks, storage centers; all of this requires better mobility conditions,” he said.

García also pointed to the Los Indios International Bridge, which business leaders say has available capacity that could help redistribute commercial traffic if supporting infrastructure improves.

Economic pressure adds urgency

The latest push comes as Matamoros continues facing economic pressure tied to manufacturing disruptions and job losses.

García said the city currently faces a deficit of nearly 10,000 jobs following industrial disruptions tied to plant closures, including Tridonex and TRICO, as well as the loss of Spellman’s operations plant after a fire earlier this year.

“We need investment to offset that loss of employment,” he said.

He added that some foreign companies are still evaluating Matamoros for investment, including a Canadian company currently reviewing the market.

“We know there are companies interested, and that is positive in a challenging moment,” García said.

Business groups coordinate pressure campaign

With no formal response yet from federal officials, Matamoros business organizations are continuing a coordinated lobbying effort involving local government, the port, customs brokers, agricultural groups, and manufacturing organizations.

The private sector has adopted a dual strategy — continuing direct engagement with federal officials while also coordinating locally with the municipality and port leadership.

“We are building synergy; each organization is submitting its own justification, while we are also working jointly with the municipality and the port,” García said.

Groups including Coparmex, Canacintra, customs brokers, and agricultural organizations have contributed industry-specific arguments supporting inclusion.

García said the alignment among business groups has strengthened their message to state and federal officials.

“Unity makes us stronger — that’s why we are all working toward the same goal,” he said.

The agricultural sector has also become part of the latest push. García said the region produces more than 3,000 tons of grain annually and depends heavily on efficient freight movement during peak harvest periods.

He said the proposed infrastructure would help improve freight movement during those peak agricultural seasons.

“We are a privileged region, but we need the infrastructure to move forward,” García said.

More than a highway debate

Business leaders say the issue is no longer just about adding Matamoros to a map.

Instead, they describe it as a broader fight over how trade, logistics, and investment will be distributed across northern Tamaulipas as Mexico expands infrastructure tied to international commerce.

“This is not stubbornness — it’s a necessity,” García said.

He stressed the goal is not to compete against Reynosa or other cities, but to ensure Matamoros is included in the state’s broader infrastructure strategy.

For Matamoros business leaders, the concern is increasingly about long-term positioning.

As Mexico invests billions into freight and logistics infrastructure, they say the outcome could determine whether Matamoros remains integrated into the region’s evolving trade network — or falls further behind as investment and connectivity concentrate elsewhere.