Tijuana native Pedro Romero Toerres-Torija, one of the entrepreneurs with the greatest path in the country, is the senior adviser of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador regarding the tax reduction in the border. Consequently, national media has appointed him as the “new economic tsar of the border”.

In his repeated campaign pledge AMLO, after the overwhelming win of the past presidential elections, the reduction of VAT and duplication of the minimal wage have generated major expectancy, especially un Baja California; Romero Torres-Torija is behind both of them.

The inclusion of the businessman, and Tijuana native leader, in the closest circle of the elected president is a strategy that will benefit the region; given his historical path defending the tax-free zone.

The homologation of the border taxes with the rest of the country, under the measure of the former Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray, it was considered a “bad move” by the influential businessmen; made clear to AMLO.

Thus in January 2018, during a pre-campaign, Lopez Obrador traveled to Tijuana to reiterate his commitment:

“It is unnecessary to increase taxes or get the country into debt; on the contrary, VAT and income tax will increase in this border zone.”

The statement was made with Romero Torres-Torija on his side. And even though the proposal was to reduce VAT to 11%, AMLO extended it to 8, in at least 30 kilometers in the border. This is added to the homologation of the energy prices of the US.

Romero Torres-Torrija holds officialy the title of “responsible of the border”, according to the statement made by AMLO, and he will make possible for Tijuana to be an economic powerhouse like Hong Kong or Shanghai.

Even though Mexico City is his hometown, he settled forever in Tijuana in 1966. His closeness with AMLO is due to being brother-in-law with César Yañez, coming director of governmental policies in the sexennial period and spokesman of the elected president.

The Tijuana native businessman is well-known for founding the stores El Águila. He also directed the Consejo de Desarrollo Económico de Tijuana, the Consejo Coordinador Empresarial, and the Cámara de Comercio, Servicios y Turismo.

Herein and interview he granted with the Foro de Competitividad de la Frontera to EITV: