Maquiladora employment in Juárez going down, reports show

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- The maquiladora industry on the border is one of the main suppliers of medical, and manufacturing, among others, and with the recent decrease in unemployed maquiladora operators the borderland's economy could suffer a big hit.

Reports show the maquiladora industry generates around 60% of formal employment in Ciudad Juárez; in the last ten months over 35,000 jobs fell due to different factors.

Local Mexican media outlets have reported that the price of the U.S. dollar, lack of nearshoring consolidation, and recent delays in cargo imports and exports are reasons these jobs have had to be cut.

According to Thor Salayandía, coordinator of the Border Business Block, or 'Bloque Empresarial Fronterizo, in May of 2023, there were 326,000 maquiladora jobs in Juárez. In late April of this year, around 291,000 jobs were reported.

Salayandía also said, the loss of around 35,000 jobs it's concerning because investment in Mexico has gone down coming from China and other countries.

A study made by the Borderplex Business Barometer also shows that maquiladora employment in Chihuahua has seen an increase, a difference compared to Juárez recently.

ABC-7 reached out to Salayandía for an interview and will have more details in later newscasts.