La Jornada: Corruption and extortion slow down investment: Ambassador Johnson

The United States ambassador, retired Colonel Ronald Johnson, warned yesterday that corruption and extortion represent direct obstacles to investment and the development of strategic projects in North America, when participating in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pacífico Mexinol complex, in Topolobampo, Sinaloa.

Before authorities and representatives of the energy sector, the diplomat maintained that legal certainty and transparency are essential conditions to attract foreign capital. “Investment follows certainty and moves away from corruption,” he stated, emphasizing that large industrial projects depend on clear rules and reliable environments to prosper, according to the speech released by the ambassador’s office.

Johnson highlighted that no company is willing to commit resources in contexts of institutional opacity. “No company will commit resources where the rules are not clear, where there is no transparency or where accountability is optional,” he said, insisting that trust is a central element for regional economic growth.

The ambassador stressed that institutional integrity is not only a political principle, but a practical condition for development. “If we want projects like this to be successful – if we want our shared future to be as promising as it can be – neither corruption nor extortion should have a place,” he said.

Johnson linked these considerations to the commitments assumed in the context of the United States, Mexico and Canada Agreement (USMCA). He recalled that the regional agreement indicates specific obligations regarding the fight against corruption. The USMCA “requires our governments to classify bribery and corruption as crimes and apply codes of conduct for public officials,” he said, and anticipated that progress could be seen in this area in the short term.

The ambassador highlighted that the Pacífico Mexinol project, with an estimated investment of 3.3 billion dollars, represents a sign of confidence in the region’s energy future, but warned that its success depends on maintaining conditions of certainty and transparency.