• REBOUND: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday lifted its forecast for Mexico’s economic growth in 2021 arguing that the country will rebound to a 5 percent growth rate after experiencing a historic 8.5 percent slump last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• EXTERNAL: The new estimate is up from the IMF’s previous 4.3 percent forecast for the Mexican economy and is based on a stronger external demand, specifically from the U.S.. The organization is also expecting that coronavirus vaccination in Mexico will gain pace in the second quarter.
• QUARTER: “We are hopeful this second quarter will actually see a faster recovery. But again, like for all countries -and that would apply for Mexico too-, we’re not out of the woods…Countries should provide adequate support to their people and their firms”, IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath said.
• NUMBERS: As of late Tuesday, Mexico reported having applied 9,675,517 doses. The government is waiting for drug safety authorization to begin distributing 77.4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in early May. The AstraZeneca vaccine is being bottled at a plant in Central Mexico.
