Local and national leaders joined forces Friday morning to sign the Pact for Prosperity and Economic Justice, a new alliance aimed at protecting family-run businesses and driving development across Tijuana
The agreement was formally signed by Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz and the national president of CONCANACO SERVYTUR, Octavio de la Torre de Stéffano. Together, they laid out a joint agenda focused on creating greater certainty for the productive sector and injecting new energy into the region’s economy.
Among those in attendance was Federico Serrano Bañuelos, President of INDEX BC, who addressed the crowd with a clear message:
“As many of you know, since 2025 Tijuana has been working under a collaboration agreement with various organizations to establish a self-regulation process. The goal has been to speed up permits and licenses so that small, medium, and large businesses can operate more efficiently. But we also had to face the issue that hurts us all: extortion. The tools we’ve implemented are helping to build a culture of legal compliance among businesses, while also preventing extortion and shady dealings,” he said.
Officials Rally Around Anti-Extortion Efforts
Meanwhile, the City Auditor of Tijuana’s 25th City Hall noted that multiple programs and strategies are already underway to encourage citizens, shop owners, and entrepreneurs to come forward and report crimes. She added that past administrations had failed to address many extortion cases, which severely damaged public trust in the reporting system.
Baja California’s Attorney General, María Elena Andrade, struck a firm tone, emphasizing that her team is fully committed to working alongside the business community.
“To date, we have dismantled 40 gangs linked to extortion, groups that were preying on business owners, merchants, and citizens here in Tijuana, as well as in Ensenada and Mexicali,” Andrade said. “More than 80 people have been arrested. In one case, we went after the leader himself, a member of the CJNG, and we tracked him all the way to Jalisco. Fighting this crime requires heavy investment in technology, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Octavio de la Torre de Stéffano explained why the city was chosen as the launchpad for this national effort.
“Tijuana is the starting point of a national route. We decided to begin here because this is where the homeland begins,” he said. “But also because Tijuana represents Mexico’s real economy: the border, commerce, services, industry, exports, talent, jobs, and family businesses. Tijuana is a city that proves what Mexico can achieve when we work with vision, coordination, and real commitment.”
He added that the goal is to protect, strengthen, and uplift the people who open their doors every day, create jobs, and keep the local economy alive.
In his closing remarks, Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz said that the more people join this effort, the stronger it will be. Communication has to come first, procedures need to be streamlined, and above all, trust with the people of Tijuana must be rebuilt.
