In an interview with Proceso, the director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Aleksey Valkov, explains Russia's strategy to expand its presence in Latin America, with Mexico as the axis in economic, nuclear and infrastructure matters.
MEXICO CITY (Proceso) - In the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, after the pandemic, Russian investment in Mexico has grown. According to figures from the Ministry of Economy, in 2022, 2.8 million dollars in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) arrived in the country from the nation governed by Vladimir Putin; by 2024, the figure rose to 86.4 million dollars.
And now, as Donald Trump militarizes the border with Mexico and transits his second presidential term pushing for a new tariff war, and maneuvers amid tensions in the Middle East, Russia turns its attention to the United States' main trading partner, Mexico, now governed by Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. The entry point is full of geopolitical symbolism, Cuba, governed by Miguel Diaz-Canel, the Kremlin's closest ally in the region.
The director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Aleksey Valkov, explained in an interview with Proceso the axes of the strategy with which Russia seeks to expand its economic presence in Latin America, starting with Mexico.
The move is part of a broader diplomatic and commercial offensive by the Kremlin.
According to Proceso's monitoring, the initiative is similar to the model that Moscow deployed with India, first in the pharmaceutical sector and then in different areas of the economy where industrial ties were strengthened through technology transfer and bilateral trade agreements. On this occasion, the bet contemplates sectors such as energy, infrastructure and connectivity.
Long-term plan
The first step has a logistic and commercial component, Valkov explained: the creation of a direct air route between Moscow and Mexico, with a stopover in Havana. The proposal, he explained, has already been presented to members of Sheinbaum's government and proposes a corridor between Yucatan, Cuba and Russia. The objective is not simply to attract tourists, but to build a direct channel for entrepreneurs and investors, an air highway for business.
The formal launch of this strategy took place last April, when Russian businessmen and high-level officials landed in Mexico to participate in a business forum.
"We made a decision to hold a business forum. It took place in Mexico, brought together 300 people from Russia and experts from different fields who talked about different aspects of bilateral relations. That is seen as a very good step to strengthen bilateral dialogue, and it is expected to continue at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June this year," he adds.
Beyond cultural tourism -although present-, what Russia is proposing is a long-term repositioning, at a time when neoliberalism is losing strength and Latin America is reconfiguring itself as an open terrain for new economic alliances.
"Yes, there is great interest in Mexico and its very rich culture. Many people in Russia are interested in Mexican culture. Many Russian people go to exhibitions and know Frida Kahlo's paintings very well, as an example", comments Valkov.
Nuclear support
The next phase of the plan was developed in June, at the St. Petersburg Forum, where Russia sought to capitalize on the new Mexican political cycle with the energy reform promoted by President Sheinbaum.
At this point, Russian interest is explicit, with gas, oil, renewable energies and nuclear energy.
Valkov details that proposals include the modernization of Mexican energy infrastructure, as well as a possible agreement to supply uranium to the Laguna Verde nuclear plant. In addition, they offer advanced technology, such as small modular reactors, useful for bringing energy to remote regions of the country.
Russia is celebrating, he explained, the 80th anniversary of atomic energy, of nuclear energy in Russia. And, therefore, Russia can offer Mexico a good technological energy potential. Including the sector of small modular reactors to provide economic and energy stability to remote areas.
Just this June 23, the Russian Embassy in Mexico officially announced its willingness to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG), in addition to sharing specialized technologies for the extraction of crude oil in adverse geological conditions, and processes to improve refining efficiency.
Diplomatic relations
Valkov insists that this rapprochement is neither circumstantial nor impulsive. This year 2025 marks 135 years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Russia, since they were formally established on December 1, 1890.
For the director of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, diplomatic history is moving forward, but now, with a new air corridor, a business forum underway and an energy move on the table.
"Between Russia and Mexico relations are not circumstantial, but rather long-term. That is why this year marks the anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Mexico (...) and some joint projects are being planned that both sides are working on," he maintained.