Business group warns insecurity and red tape threaten small-business growth

Hoy Tamaulipas reported that insecurity, the complexity of Mexico’s tax system and excessive government paperwork are slowing the growth of small businesses, according to Octavio de la Torre D’Steffano, president of the National Confederation of Chambers of Commerce (Concanaco). He made the comments in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, where he led the signing of a pact focused on prosperity, economic justice and security.

De la Torre said merchants also face limited access to financing and difficulties meeting social-security obligations. He described the tax process in Mexico in sharply critical terms, saying that paying taxes requires “not an accountant, but a psychiatrist.” The event brought together municipal officials, business chambers, academic institutions and civil-society organizations to discuss security for commercial establishments and ways to reduce administrative burdens.

Hoy Tamaulipas reported that Mexico has 6.1 million small establishments, but only 33 percent operate formally, based on figures presented by the business leader. De la Torre said the challenge is to bring more merchants into the formal economy without leaving them at a disadvantage to businesses that evade tax and administrative obligations. He also pointed to discussions with Mexico’s president since 2025 about legislative measures against extortion, including anonymous reporting, and said a recent killing of a business leader in Tamaulipas underscored the need for stronger protection.