Economic challenges hit Tijuana restaurants and Argentine SMEs

In Tijuana, Mexico, restaurant owners report losing an average of one million pesos in sales due to frequent power outages and supply failures from the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE). According to Canirac Tijuana, these financial losses do not account for additional damages, such as spoiled raw materials, broken appliances, or increased labor costs. Business owners expressed frustration over the lack of technical diagnoses or action plans from the utility provider during periods of high demand and extreme temperatures.

In Argentina, a report from the Centro de Economía Política Argentina (CEPA) indicates a significant contraction in the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. Between November 2023 and June 2026, the country saw the closure of over 31,000 companies and the loss of approximately 181,500 jobs. Micro-enterprises were the hardest hit, accounting for 83.4% of the total business closures. The report attributes this decline to reduced demand, increased competition from imports, and rising operational and financial costs.