The Indicator from Planet Money · Wednesday, July 1, 2026
Antonio Ortiz Mena, who was part of the NAFTA negotiation team, states that the USMCA was a necessary modernization of NAFTA, reflecting the economic changes since 1990. He specifically points to the inclusion of provisions for financial services and telecommunications, and a new dispute settlement mechanism, as significant positive advancements.
“I would say because it's much more comprehensive. And the economy that we had in 1990 is very different from the current economy.”
“But NAFTA was focused on goods. The USMCA added more provisions covering things like financial services and telecommunications.”
“And trade in services has become much more important than they were in 1990. And the fact that they're incorporated in a more comprehensive way, I think is positive.”