Colorado companies with ties to Mexico will be watching the impact of a planned boycott of U.S. companies in that country Monday, but they aren’t expecting a decline in business.
The “Nothing Gringo” effort calls on Mexican citizens to avoid spending money with U.S. companies, particularly chain restaurants and stores. The boycott is set to coincide with demonstrations by immigrants and their supporters in the U.S. to show the economic impact of the immigrant workforce here.
Many Colorado companies that sell products or do business in Mexico said they were unaware of the planned boycott, while others said they are keeping an eye on the situation.
“Coors will be monitoring the impact of the potential May 1 boycott,” said Kabira Hatland, a spokeswoman for Golden-based Coors Brewing Co.
The company sells Coors Light in Mexico through a partnership with the Mexican company Fomento Economico Mexicano SA de CV. Such sales make up only a small portion of Coors’ sales volume, Hatland said.
“We’d regret any potential boycott because our company respects all immigrant communities,” she said.
Nationally, U.S. lobbyists have criticized the boycott as potentially hurting companies that provide jobs and advocacy for Mexicans.
“This is like shooting oneself in the foot,” said Larry Rubin, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico. “U.S. companies have been the first to lobby, launching a huge lobbying effort for immigration reform. … Why hurt something that is helping you?”
A quarter of Mexico’s formal private-sector jobs with regular pay are provided by U.S. businesses, according to the chamber, including Walmex, the Mexican Wal-Mart subsidiary that is the nation’s biggest private employer, with 140,000 workers. Delphi Corp., the U.S. auto-parts maker, is second with 70,000 workers.
Observers note that activists appear confused about which companies are U.S.- owned. Sears is cited by boycott organizers, despite the fact that Sears’ Mexico stores were bought by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim in 1997. And few organizers mention Vips – a chain of ubiquitous Mexican diners – even though they are owned by Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Broomfield-based Corporate Express is among the Colorado companies doing business in Mexico. Because its sales there are through marketing a partnership with a Latin American firm, the company is not anticipating any impact, said spokesman Van Hindes.
An e-mail making the rounds on the Internet encourages protesters to specifically avoid American stores and chain restaurants – “That means no Dunkin’ Donuts, no McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks, Sears, Krispy Kreme or Wal-Mart,” it reads.
Denver-based sandwich franchiser Quiznos operates five stores in Mexico, according to its website. A company spokesman said via e-mail that she was unaware of any planned boycotts against the company.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at 303-820-1902 or karellano@denverpost.com.
Al Día: Para leer este artículo en español. denverpost.com/aldia
